Texas judges will not be punished for refusing to perform same-sex weddings , according to a new comment from the Texas Supreme Court.

The Texas high court's Oct. 24 comment added to the state's judicial conduct code read: "It is not a violation of these canons for a judge to publicly refrain from performing a wedding ceremony based upon a sincerely held religious belief." The order, which was effective immediately, was signed by all eight justices serving at the time.

The guidance to which the filing makes reference is Canon 4 of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct , which, among many things, bars judges from acting outside their judicial role in a way that would "cast reasonable doubt" on their ability to act impartially or "interfere with the proper performance of judicial duties."

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