Issue Position: Equality for LGBTQ Texans

Issue Position

Rep. Rodriguez has been a friend and an ally to LGBTQ Texans for his entire career.

Rep. Rodriguez served as chief of staff for State Rep. Glen Maxey, the first openly gay legislator in the Texas House of Representatives. After his election to succeed Rep. Maxey as the state representative for District 51 in 2002, Rep. Rodriguez picked up Rep. Maxey's fight for equality and filed legislation that would have established protections against employment discrimination at state agencies based on individuals' sexual orientation or gender identity (HB 810 - 78R, HB 1526 - 79R).

In 2009, Rep. Rodriguez filed a bill that sought to establish equal health care rights for LGBTQ couples like emergency visitation and making end-of-life decisions by extending the same rights enjoyed by married couples to domestic partners (HB 353 - 81R). Rep. Rodriguez fought for same-sex couples when the Texas National Guard would not process their benefits claims by advocating to the head of the Texas Military Forces in 2013. These disparities and others (employment benefits, parental rights and more) persist today and Rep. Rodriguez is committed to working together with LGBTQ Texans and advocates for equality to address them as the next state senator for Central Texas.

Rep. Rodriguez has used his committee assignments, seniority, relationships and knowledge of the legislative process to fight discriminatory legislation. In recent years, there has been a concerted effort to pass discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ legislation based on lies and fearmongering about LGBTQ Texans. Some of the most hateful bills (and our work to defeat them) have made national news as our state is ground zero for the fight for equality.

As a member of the House Committee on State Affairs and Calendars, Rep. Rodriguez has played an important role in slowing down and defeating some of the worst discriminatory legislation. In 2017, he worked together with advocates to strongly oppose Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick's "bathroom bill" and defeat its multiple iterations at every stage of the legislative process (New York Times).

Rep. Rodriguez has strongly opposed "license to discriminate"/religious refusal legislation that allows for the disparate treatment of LGBTQ Texans solely based on who they are and who they love as long as the discrimination is based on a person's "sincerely held religious beliefs." Many such "license to discriminate" bills have been filed in recent legislative sessions (17 bills in 2017 alone), and Rep. Rodriguez has worked closely with advocates to monitor these bills and kill them. SB 17 (86R), the greatest threat to the LGBTQ community in the 86th Legislative Session, passed out of the Texas Senate but Rep. Rodriguez helped to slow down and defeat the bill in the House State Affairs committee where it died. As we work to advance pro-LGBTQ legislation, Rep. Rodriguez also believes that we must work together to repeal all discriminatory laws that are on the books.

Unfortunately, some discriminatory bills such as HB 3172 (the erroneously named "Save Chick-Fil-A Bill" from 2019) have made it out of the State Affairs and Calendars committees. As a proud member of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, Rep. Rodriguez stood together with his colleagues to oppose and defeat the bill on a "point of order" raised by LGBTQ Caucus Chair State Rep. Julie Johnson. Republicans in the Senate revived the bill and fast-tracked it to passage (see SB 1978 - 86R) as it was established as a priority by certain conservative activist groups. This hijacking of the legislative process to further Republicans' anti-LGBTQ cultural agenda highlights the importance of electoral politics for restoring balance to Texas politics and government.

In the community, Rep. Rodriguez participates in the Austin Pride Parade every year. He is a strong supporter of the Kind Clinic and he is looking forward to the opening of the organization's clinic in South Austin in Fall 2020. Rep. Rodriguez fought for the Planned Parenthood health center in East Austin against attacks by Republicans because he understands the central role that they play in providing free or low-cost health care services to our community. Rep. Rodriguez is proud to be endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats of Austin in his race to serve as the next state senator for Central Texans who live in District 14.

Highlights:

Advanced protections against employment discrimination at state agencies based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

HB 810 - 78R (2003): Relating to the prohibition of employment discrimination by state agencies on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

HB 1526 - 79R (2005): Relating to the prohibition of employment discrimination by state agencies on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Worked to establish equal health care rights for LGBTQ couples like emergency visitation and making end-of-life decisions.

HB 353 - 81R (2009): Relating to certain health care rights of domestic partners.

Worked with advocates, activists, the community and colleagues to oppose and defeat discriminatory legislation.

SB 6 - 85R (2017) | "Bathroom bill"

New York Times

""Like his tenure in office, Governor Greg Abbott's first special session was bad for Texas,' State Representative Eddie Rodriguez, Democrat of Austin, said in a statement. "We've gone through this charade at a cost of over $1 million to Texas taxpayers, and we must not make the mistake of coming back for a second.'"

Washington Post

HB 3859 - 85R (2017) | Anti-LGBTQ adoption bill

Texas Tribune

Exchange between Rep. Rodriguez and the bill's author, Chairman James Frank, on the House floor

ACLU of Texas

"HB 3859 and related "religious freedom' bills would allow for blatant discrimination against folks based on who they are and who they love without serving a legitimate policy objective. Any change to our child welfare system must be made to further the interests of Texas children, not to conform to adults' political agendas."

Daily Mail

New America

KVUE

HB 3172 - 86R (2019) | Erroneously-named "Save Chick-Fil-A" bill

SB 17 - 86R | Occupational licensing "license to discriminate"

A 2019 religious refusal bill that passed out of the Texas Senate but Rep. Rodriguez helped defeat in the House State Affairs Committee.

"Conversion therapy" ban: Rep. Rodriguez was a coauthor of Rep. Celia Israel's bill that would have protected LGBTQ youth from the dangerous and discredited practice of so-called "conversion therapy."

HB 517 - 86R (2019): Relating to unprofessional conduct by mental health providers who attempt to change the sexual orientation of a child; providing penalties.

Bostock v. Clayton County, GA: As a member of Texas LGBTQ Caucus, joined a caucus letter requesting that the Texas Association of School Boards expedite the release of a revised DIA (local) model policy covering employment nondiscrimination in Texas public schools based on the landmark SCOTUS ruling that extended employment protections to LGBTQ Americans.

A+ rating earned from Equality Texas for work during the 86th Legislative Session.

Also recognized with A+ rating during historic 85th Legislative Session for LGBTQ rights in Texas.

Priorities:

In wake of SCOTUS ruling extending federal employment protections under the 1964 Civil Rights Act to LGBTQ Americans:

Fight to establish comprehensive protections against discrimination in housing and public accommodations.

Work to ensure the robust enforcement of employment discrimination protections in Texas.

Strongly oppose any unconstitutional efforts to allow Texas to disregard the federal law.

End discrimination against LGBTQ couples in the realms of employment benefits and parental rights.

End the practice of non-consenual genital surgery on minors with intersex traits.

Continue to work with LGBTQ Texans and advocates for equality to fight discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ legislation.

Repeal discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ legislation that has been added to the books under one-party Republican rule.

Remove the unconstitutional ban on "homosexual conduct" from the Texas Penal Code.

Make it easier for individuals to amend the gender markers on their identity documents.

Add crimes against LGBTQ Texans to our state's hate crimes statute.

Expand access to healthcare to uninsured Texans, particularly access to life-saving HIV treatment and other sexual health services.

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