US: Same-sex marriage would bring $181.6 million to Texas over 3 years

Jul 25 2014
Written by Katie Dupere

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

A new study says legalising same-sex marriage in Texas would generate an estimated $181.6 million dollars (£107,000,000) for the state’s economy and create over 1,500 new jobs over three years.

Researchers at the Williams Institute at UCLA’s School of Law released the study on Wednesday.

Researchers used 2010 Census data to estimate that around 46,000 same-sex couples live in Texas.

Of those couples, the Institute estimates that about 23,000, or 50 percent, would marry in the first three years of legalisation. That estimation is based on similar patterns in states that have legalised marriage, like Massachusetts.

About 15,000 marriages would occur in the first year alone, bringing almost $115 million (£8,800,000) in revenue to the state in a 12 month period.

Study author M.V. Lee Badgett said: “This study confirms that all Texans benefit from marriage for same-sex couples, not just the LGBT community.”

A judge ruled in February that Texas’ same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional. That ruling was immediately stayed pending appeal.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has been accused of deliberately stalling that appeal after asking for a second extension on the legal brief earlier this week.