GOP Lawmakers Differ on Reasons Not to Sign Gay Marriage Letter

In the week since 93 members of the House GOP Caucus signed a letter supporting current Texas law that proscribes same-sex marriage, two of the remaining five have given explanations for not signing.

Stalwart conservative Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, said he couldn’t sign it because he didn’t feel a letter made up for the lack of action by the House.

"I wanted action, not just words in the journal. ... But unfortunately, the headline will be, the Texas House failed to act,” he said.

Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, meanwhile, told the Texas Observer that she does not "feel the need to pass legislation or vote for legislation that prohibits two adults who love each other to be able to be joined in a civil union or marriage."

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Greg Abbott made his first veto as governor on Monday, striking a House concurrent resolution that he said in his proclamation “purports to direct the actions of state agencies in the manner of a law.”

Indeed, the operative section of HCR 84, written in honor of National Mental Health Month, changed significantly from the introduced version to the version passed out of committee, which drew in language directing state licensure boards to use specific diagnostic classification systems “for evaluation, classification, treatment, and other activities by their licensees and in connection with any claim for payment or reimbursement.”

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GOP presidential candidate Marco Rubio will be in Dallas next week for a birthday breakfast fundraiser.

The May 28 event at the Crescent Club has the names of several prominent GOP donors attached, including George Seay, Tom Hicks and Bob Rowling.

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The Texas State University System announced on Thursday that it is buying O. Henry Hall in downtown Austin from the University of Texas System.

In a statement, it was explained that Texas State would purchase the 134-year-old building and then lease it back to the UT System while construction continues on its new headquarters. That project is expected to be complete in 2017.

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Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced this week the single largest donation of historic maps to the General Land Office Archives.

The five historic maps come courtesy of Texana Foundation founder Jefferson Morgenthaler, according to a GLO press release.

The collection includes an 1804 map made by Alexander von Humboldt, described by the GLO as “one of the most influential maps of Mexico, Texas, and the Southwest.”

Another highlight is an 1817 map by Aaron Arrowsmith of Mexico that portrays Texas as part of San Luis Potosi.

Two others from the 1840s portray the Republic of Texas, while the last from 1851 depicts Texas, Mexico and California at the height of the California Gold Rush.