Austin, TX, August, 26 2015 Today, the Houston City Council made it official that Houston voters, after being banned from the ballot box by Mayor Parker and other council members, will finally get to vote on a dangerous anti religious freedom ordinance on Nov. 3rd with accurate ballot language. The Texas Supreme Court ruled recently, twice, against Houston Mayor Annise Parker’s administration effort to first deny the people’s right to vote on the related to Houston’s so-called “equal rights” ordinance and then to confuse people at the ballot box. The controversial ordinance allows men to go into women’s restrooms, forces business owners to violate their religious convictions, and increases government interference in the private sector. Last year, Mayor Parker tried to subpoena the sermons of pastors that spoke about the ordinance in church from their pulpit.

Jonathan Saenz, Texas Values Action president, released the following statement on the ruling:

“Faith wins today as the commitment and determination of so many people and pastors in Houston have been rewarded with the right to vote.  The people of Houston will now finally have their right to a simple up or down vote on this dangerous and deceptive ordinance in November. Now it’s important for people in Houston to show up and vote and not take anything for granted. If you value the First Amendment and safety, your only choice is to vote against this government ordinance.”

On July 24, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the Houston City Council must stop enforcement of the controversial anti-religious freedom LGBT ordinance, and that City must either repeal the ordinance or place it on the ballot for vote by the people for the November 2015 election. The City then chose to have the ordinance voted on by the people on the local November 2015 ballot. Opponents of the ordinance, which allows men to go into women’s restrooms, forces business owners to violate their religious convictions, and increases government interference in the private sector, had submitted more than enough signatures to put the ordinance to a referendum in 2014 as certified by the city secretary, but Mayor Parker and the City Attorney had refused to recognize the signatures and allow the people of Houston the right to vote.

Texas Values Action has been one of the main organizations that fought to defeat the anti-religious freedom LGBT ordinance, generating over 100,000 email messages to the Houston City Council in opposition to the ordinance. Texas Values Action also testified against the ordinance several times in Houston and provided support on the ground for Houston residents, business owners, and church leaders who have been ignored by city leaders including Mayor Parker.

About Texas Values Action

Texas Values Action is the 501(c)(4) advocacy arm of Texas Values, a non-profit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvaluesaction.org.