CENTRAL, Texas — The Texas Supreme Court changed its judicial code of conduct to allow justices of the peace to refuse to perform same-sex marriages based on religious beliefs, following a years-long legal battle involving a McLennan County judge who faced sanctions and public warnings for doing so in 2019.

Signed Friday, Oct. 24, the court's new rule states: "It is not a violation for a judge to publicly refrain from performing a wedding ceremony based upon a sincerely held religious belief."

The case centers on McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley, who in 2019 refused to marry same-sex couples , saying it would be "inconsistent with her religious faith."

The full ruling, amending Canon 4 of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct, can be found below:

TEXAS CODE OF JUDIC

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