Houston will provide health care and life insurance benefits to legally married same-sex spouses of city employees, officials announced Wednesday.

Eligible couples must have been married in other states as Texas bans same sex unions.

The announcement flouts an opinion issued in April by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott that said local governments and school districts that offer same-sex domestic partner benefits are violating the state constitution. Houston’s decision also came after the Texas National Guard in September refused a Pentagon directive to process applications for military benefits for same-sex couples, citing the state law that does not recognize gay marriage.