TEXAS OFFICES AUSTIN REGION 3305 Northland Drive, Suite 310 Austin, Texas 78731 P (512) 249 –7960 F (512) 249-1661 [email protected] RENEE LAFAIR Regional Director April 7, 2015 ROBYN SPERLING Chair, Regional Board JARED LINDAUER Via Electronic Mail – [email protected] ADAM NAGORSKI Co-Chairs, Civil Rights Committee Representative Byron Cook Chairman, House Committee on State Affairs NORTH TEXAS/OKLAHOMA REGION 12800 Hillcrest Road, Suite 219 Dallas, Texas 75230 Re: Opposition to HB 4105 P (972) 960-0342 - F (972) 960-0591 [email protected] ROBERTA S. CLARK Dear Chairman Cook: Regional Director JEFFREY S. LEVINGER Chair, Regional Board On behalf of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), we urge the House Committee on State Affairs to BRAD ALTMAN oppose House Bill 4105 when it is heard by Committee on April 8, 2015. HOWARD SHAPIRO Co-Chairs, Civil Rights Committee ADL is committed to ensuring that all Americans are afforded equal treatment under the law. As an SOUTHWEST REGION organization that combats anti-Semitism, bigotry, and discrimination of all kinds, ADL has been in the 4635 Southwest Freeway, Suite 400 Houston, Texas 77027 forefront of efforts to secure equal rights for LGBT persons, including efforts to secure equal rights for P (713) 627-3490 - F (713) 627-2011 same-sex marriages. [email protected] MARTIN B. COMINSKY Regional Director As the country waits for a Supreme Court ruling on the right to marry later this year, HB 4105 attempts IAN SCHARFMAN Chair, Regional Board to force state and local government officials to either ignore or subvert any ruling in favor of the MARK TRACHTENBERG freedom to marry by making it illegal for state and local employees to “recognize, grants, or enforce a Chair, Civil Rights Committee same-sex marriage license.” PHYLLIS COHEN Chair, Government Affairs ADL is an ardent supporter of religious liberties, but HB 4105 is not necessary to protect religious JEAN & JERRY MOORE freedom. Regardless of any civil law, no clergy, church or religious organization will ever be required to SOUTHWEST AREA COUNSEL perform a wedding that violates their religious beliefs. CHERYL R. DRAZIN In light of these considerations, we urge the State Affairs Committee to oppose House Bill 4105. OFFICERS OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION BARRY CURTISS-LUSHER Sincerely, National Chair ABRAHAM H. FOXMAN National Director Cheryl R. Drazin Jean & Jerry Moore Southwest Area Civil Rights Counsel On behalf of the three ADL offices located in Austin, Dallas and Houston cc: Representative Helen Giddings [email protected] Representative Tom Craddick [email protected] Representative Marsha Farney [email protected] Representative Jessica Farrar [email protected] Representative Charlie Green [email protected] Representative Patricia Harless [email protected] Representative Dan Huberty [email protected] Representative John Kuempel [email protected] Representative Rene Oliveira [email protected] Representative John T. Smithee [email protected] Representative Sylvester Turner [email protected] ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE • TEXAS OFFICES AUSTIN • NORTH TEXAS-OKLAHOMA • SOUTHWEST WEB SITE: WWWADL.ORG .