» Anti-gay marriage measure dies without a vote,

Instead, Senate passes a nonbinding resolution on definition of marriage.

Republican legislation seeking to create a permanent ban on gay marriage died Wednesday night without a vote in the Texas Senate.

The anti-gay marriage language, added to a “shell bill” designed to be a safe harbor for legislation that would otherwise expire, would have banned state and local government employees from issuing a marriage license to same-sex couples, even if the U.S. Supreme Court rules this summer that bans on gay marriage are unconstitutional.

The attempt backfired, however, when the author of the bill — Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston — said he would kill it if the marriage language remained.

Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, the Senate sponsor of Coleman’s House Bill 2977, sought to remove the marriage language to preserve about 20 other pieces of legislation, most of which addressed local issues from across the state.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick declined, saying he would not allow the bill onto the floor for a vote without the marriage component.

Instead, Republicans introduced and voted on a nonbinding resolution showing their support for the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.

Senate Resolution 1028 was signed by all 20 Republicans and adopted on a 21-10 vote with support from one Democrat, Lucio.

“I will tell you deeply and honestly, there’s no hate within my heart as I stand here and defend the definition that we have lived with for years and the voters have chosen to place in our constitution,” said Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, author of the resolution.

Hancock said he finds it offensive when he’s accused of espousing hatred for “standing up for my convictions.”

“Don’t discriminate against us who may not share those same convictions,” he said.

“The definition of marriage has been, for thousands of years, between one man and one woman, created in the im- age of God,” said Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels.

Several Democrats noted that support for gay marriage has been rising nationally and in Texas, suggesting that the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage — approved by 76 percent of voters in 2005 — would fare much worse if the election were held today.

Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, said senators who signed the resolution were on the wrong side of history.

Patrick directed his comments to Ellis after the vote, saying: “I’m not as concerned about being on the wrong side of history than I am on being on the wrong side of what I believe.”