, ▁an ▁am end ment ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁char ter ▁prohib iting ▁the ▁city ▁from ▁providing ▁domestic ▁partner ▁benefits ▁for ▁city ▁employees . ▁The ▁am end ment ▁however ▁specifically ▁perm its ▁benefits ▁to ▁be ▁provided ▁to ▁" legal ▁sp ouses " ▁of ▁employees . ▁On ▁November ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Mayor ▁Ann ise ▁Parker ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁city ▁will ▁begin ▁offering ▁domestic ▁partners hips ▁benefits ▁to ▁all ▁leg ally ▁married ▁sp ouses ▁of ▁city ▁employees . ▁ ▁This ▁will ▁apply ▁to ▁same - sex ▁cou ples ▁who ▁have ▁been ▁married ▁in ▁a ▁state ▁where ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁is ▁legal . ▁ ▁The ▁mayor ' s ▁decision ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁city ▁legal ▁department ▁interpretation ▁of ▁recent ▁U . S . ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁dec isions ▁and ▁other ▁relevant ▁case ▁law ▁from ▁the ▁around ▁the ▁country . ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁State ▁District ▁Judge ▁Lisa ▁Mill ard ▁issued ▁an ▁order ▁to ▁put ▁on ▁hold ▁the ▁implementation ▁of ▁Houston ' s ▁domestic ▁partners hip ▁law , ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁a ▁law suit ▁file d ▁by ▁Harris ▁County ▁G OP ▁chairman ▁J ared ▁Wood fill , ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁pla int iffs ▁Jack ▁P idge on ▁and ▁Larry ▁H icks . ▁It ▁is ▁pending ▁a ▁hearing ▁on ▁January ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁B ex ar ▁County ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁a ▁gay ▁rights ▁activ ist ▁asked ▁B ex ar ▁County ▁officials