The endorsement by the Senate State Affairs Committee moves the bill closer to a full vote on the Senate floor.

"The point of the bill is to protect and defend the institution of marriage in the traditional sense we always have in the state of Texas, and that's between one man and one woman," said its sponsor, Sen. Jeff Wentworth.

Randall Ellis, executive director of Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas, called the bill ' frivolous'.

He said Texas law already prohibits the state from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples or recognizing same-sex unions performed in other states.

Wentworth's bill also would prohibit legal protections, benefits or marital responsibilities from being granted to same-sex partners.

"This will not change the lives in the short run of gays and lesbians. We can't get married today; we won't be able to get married after the governor signs this bill," Ellis said.

But Wentworth says Congress essentially invited states to pass laws against same-sex marriages when it passed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.

"Why would 36 states pass a similar law if it is unnecessary?" he asked.

"People talked about discrimination as though discrimination is a bad thing. It is something we do all the time," t he Senator said.

"We discriminate in this state against people under 21 years of age buying alcohol. I guess they could say we're discriminating against them. The state has decided it's in their best interest to not purchase alcohol," Wentworth said.

The committee's approval comes after Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott successfully petitioned a district judge in Beaumont to reverse his decision granting a divorce to a gay couple last month. The couple had a civil union performed last year in Vermont.

Last week House committee approved legislation that would bar gays and lesbians from becoming foster parents.