Texas appears to have just outlawed marriage…

HJR 6, an ammendment to the Texas constitution contains this:

Sec. 32. (a) Marriage in this state shall consist only of
the union of one man and one woman.
(b) This state or a political subdivision of this state may
not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to
marriage.

Now..
(a) clearly defines “marriage” to be the union of one man and one woman.
(b) states that the state may not create any legal status identical to marriage

I’m nearly sure that’s not the intention, but that’s what it says!

(I wish I’d worked this out on my own, but I got it from here.)

Edit:
Having talked to my friend about this, she reckons that as marriage cannot be identical to itself this is legalese for saying that the state cannot create a legal status identical to but not including marriage. I think all lawyers should be shot :)