A state lawmaker says the Texas 'Romeo and Juliet Law' should be changed to make sure it also applies to Romeo--and Romeo.
News Radio 1200 WOAI News reports State Rep Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint) says adjustments have to be made to the current law, which is designed to protect teenaged heterosexual couples from facing prosecution under statutory rape laws.
The law allows, for example, a 17 year old boy to engage in consensual sexual activity with his 16 year old girlfriend, even though 16 is technically under the age of consent, and any sexual activity with an underage person is a 'statutory' crime.
"Right now in statute, we have a Romeo and Juliet law, which allows for consensual relationships between young adults," Gonzalez reports.
But she points out that the current law is worded to cover a male and a female relationship, and she says, now that same sex marriage is legal, it is only fair to allow same-sex concensual relationships between teenagers.
"H.B. 331 makes sure that our LGBT youth aren't criminalized for their relationships," Gonzalez said. "We need to make sure they are protected."
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