; Whereas, in 1997, the Texas legislature prohibited the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples; Whereas the 1999 Texas State Supreme Court annulled transsexual marriages in the State under Littleton v. Prange; Whereas, in 2001, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed the James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Act, which criminalized violent or coercive action against other Texas residents on various immutable traits, including sexual orientation; Whereas the City of El Paso celebrated its first gay pride parade on June 2, 2001; Whereas, in 2002, the Dallas City Council passed an anti-discrimination ordinance protecting LGBTQI+ persons; Whereas the 2003 Supreme Court landmark decision Lawrence v. Texas nullified all remaining sodomy laws in the United States, which effectively preempted State law; Whereas Texas Penal Code 21.06 remains codified, though without legal effect; Whereas, in 2010, Ms. Annise Danette Parker became the first openly gay mayor in Texas elected to the city of Houston; Whereas the Texas Latino Gay Pride event began in 2014 and is held annually every early October in the Oaklawn district, the first event of its kind in Texas; Whereas, in 2012, after President Obama’s endorsement of same-sex marriage, the Texas Democratic Party became the first southern Democratic State party to include support of same-sex marriage in its platform; Whereas, in 2013, El Paso County adopted its Plus One Policy, allowing for LGBTQ County employees to extend certain employee benefits to their domestic partners; Whereas, in 2015, same-sex marriage was legalized throughout the United States; Whereas, in Texas, specifically, 2,500 same-sex marriage licenses were issued in 2015; Whereas, on June 26, 2015, Mr. Jack Evans and Mr. George Harris became the first legally recognized gay marriage in Dallas County; Whereas, between 2017 and 2021, nine trans women were brutally murdered in Dallas; Whereas the transgender community in Texas continues to face additional barriers compared to others on issues of health care and housing