Church's Suit Over Texas Law On Recall Petitions Dismissed

Hoyt v. City of El Paso, Texas, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104501 (WD TX, July 10, 2012), presents a claim by an El Paso church and its pastor that Texas and El Paso city officials have chilled the church's right to circulate recall petitions aimed at the city's mayor and two city council members because of their role in restoring health benefits to same-sex and unmarried domestic partners of city employees. (See prior posting.) The court dismissed the complaint finding that the challenged election law only bars corporations from circulating petitions when doing so amounts to a political contribution and that plaintiffs allege only a subjective fear of enforcement.