▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁legal ▁registry ▁for ▁those ▁who ▁want ▁to ▁declare ▁themselves ▁same - sex ▁domestic ▁partners . ▁County ▁officials ▁sought ▁a ▁r uling ▁from ▁Texas ▁Att orney ▁General ▁John ▁Corn yn , ▁who ▁respond ed ▁that ▁such ▁declarations ▁constit uted ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁legal ▁relationship ▁similar ▁to ▁marriage , ▁a ▁viol ation ▁of ▁Texas ▁law . ▁B ex ar ▁County ▁denied ▁the ▁request ▁in ▁December . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁B ex ar ▁County ▁Commission ers ▁Court ▁voted ▁ 5 – 0 ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁allowing ▁county ▁employee ▁benefits ▁to ▁be ▁extended ▁to ▁domestic ▁partners . ▁▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁Texas ▁att orney ▁general ▁opinion ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Texas ▁Att orney ▁General ▁Greg ▁Abb ott ▁op ined ▁that ▁Article ▁I , ▁Section ▁ 3 2 ▁of ▁the ▁Texas ▁Constitution ▁prohib its ▁a ▁political ▁sub div ision ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁from ▁" cre ating ▁a ▁legal ▁status ▁of ▁domestic ▁partners hip ▁and ▁recogn izing ▁that ▁status ▁by ▁offering ▁public ▁benefits ▁based ▁upon ▁it ." ▁The ▁opinion ▁request ▁from ▁state ▁Senator ▁Dan ▁Patrick ▁in quired ▁about ▁political ▁sub div isions ▁that ▁" of fer ▁some ▁form ▁of ▁ins urance ▁benefits ▁to ▁domestic ▁partners hips " ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁employee ▁benefit ▁programs . ▁Article ▁I , ▁Section ▁ 3 2 ▁says ▁that ▁"[ t ] his ▁state ▁or ▁a ▁political ▁sub div ision ▁of ▁this ▁state ▁may ▁not ▁create ▁or ▁recognize ▁any ▁legal ▁status ▁identical ▁or ▁similar ▁to