Letter to Rep. Venton Jones on what is next for HB 1738 to decriminalize homosexuality in Texas. NO REPLY.
We need to drive forward the effort to decriminalize homosexuality in Texas and be an example for other States which also have anti-homosexual laws. The effort needs to be more than just a ritual.
Subscriptions are free.
Venton Jones has reached out to understand what happened.
The Letter
April 21, 2025
Edward H. Sebesta
Address redacted.
Dallas, TX zipcode redaced.
Rep. Venton Jones
3535 Grand Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75210
Dear Hon. Jones:
I applaud you introducing HB 1738 and presenting it to the Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence to decriminalize homosexual conduct in the State of Texas. I think this is a very important issue.
I reported on it extensively in my newsletter, Dallas Gay Liberation, which you can read at:
https://dallasgayliberation.substack.com/p/tx-rep-venton-jones-introduces-bill
I would like to know for my newsletter the following:
1. What the next step is for HB 1738 to become law? Specifically what needs to be done to have it voted out of committee and when that might happen.
2. Have any of the members of the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee agreed to bring it up for a vote?
3. If it is not moving forward, I would like to know why it isn’t going forward and specifically who is blocking the bill from going forward.
4. What happened to defeat the earlier efforts to decriminalize homosexual conduct in Texas? It appears that bills were introduced and then nothing happened. I would like to have specifics.
I think that those groups, individuals, legislators blocking the decriminalization of homosexuality in the state of Texas need to be held accountable. The Gay community in Texas needs to know and understand who is blocking decriminalization and why this law can’t be passed. In regards to who, it needs to be specific individuals and institutions.
I think it is of limited value to just introduce a bill to decriminalize homosexual conduct, house session after house session or maybe once a year, have it get news attention, and then nothing happening. It tends to become theater rather than a substantive action.
Sincerely Yours,
Edward H. Sebesta