▁marriage ." ▁The ▁att orney ▁general ▁said ▁that ▁a ▁city , ▁county , ▁or ▁independent ▁school ▁district ▁is ▁a ▁" polit ical ▁sub div ision " ▁for ▁this ▁purpose . ▁He ▁also ▁said , ▁" By ▁establish ing ▁el ig ibility ▁criteria ▁and ▁requiring ▁aff id av its ▁and ▁other ▁legal ▁documentation ▁to ▁demonstrate ▁applic ants ' ▁el ig ibility ▁to ▁be ▁considered ▁domestic ▁partners , ▁... ▁political ▁sub div isions ▁have ▁pur port ed ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁legal ▁status ▁of ▁domestic ▁partners hip ▁that ▁is ▁not ▁otherwise ▁recognized ▁under ▁Texas ▁law . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁political ▁sub div isions ▁' recogn ize ' ▁that ▁legal ▁status ▁by ▁providing ▁benefits ▁to ▁individuals ▁who ▁att ain ▁that ▁status ." ▁As ▁for ▁whether ▁the ▁domestic ▁partners hips ▁are ▁" similar " ▁to ▁marriage , ▁the ▁att orney ▁general ▁said ▁" a ▁court ▁is ▁likely ▁to ▁conclude ▁that ▁the ▁domestic ▁partners hip ▁legal ▁status ▁... ▁is ▁' similar ▁to ▁marriage ' ▁and ▁therefore ▁bar red " ▁by ▁the ▁constitution . ▁ ▁In ▁response , ▁the ▁Austin ▁Independent ▁School ▁District ▁decided ▁not ▁to ▁offer ▁health ▁benefits ▁to ▁the ▁domestic ▁partners ▁of ▁its ▁employees . ▁However , ▁the ▁Austin ▁Independent ▁School ▁District ▁changed ▁its ▁position ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁and ▁has ▁moved ▁forward ▁to ▁offer ▁health ▁benefits ▁to ▁domestic ▁partners ▁of ▁employees . ▁City ▁Manager ▁Marc ▁Ott ▁and ▁Mayor ▁Lee ▁Le ff ing well ▁of ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Austin ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁city ▁would ▁not ▁change ▁its ▁domestic ▁partners ▁benefits ▁policy . ▁Sam ▁Bis