The Texas legislature early Friday failed to advance a proposal to prohibit local officials from granting marriage licenses to gay couples, a measure viewed as an effort to preempt an expected U.S. Supreme Court ruling next month regarding gay unions.
If the measure had reached the floor, it appeared to have sufficient support to clear the Republican-controlled chamber.
The measure's defeat followed an intense lobbying effort by gay rights groups and businesses, including the Texas-based computer-maker Dell. Dell's participation raised the specter of a larger revolt by businesses, similar to one that led Indiana to reverse course on an initiative viewed as anti-gay in April.
Still, gay rights advocates said they were not ready to celebrate. More anti-gay measures could be in play in Texas and elsewhere, they said, and efforts to block same-sex marriage could gain steam after the Supreme Court ruling.
"We must continue to fight . . . efforts to defy the Supreme Court and to deny equality to LGBT Texans — through the end of the legislative session and beyond," Chuck Smith, executive director of Equality Texas, said in a statement.
Gregory T. Angelo, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, an organization of conservative gays that lobbied against the Texas bill, said the measure could be brought back in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling as part of a special session.
"While it is most definitely a victory . . . I think all LGBT advocates need to be cautious about celebrating too early," he said.