A recent study has shown that Texas could potentially profit from legalizing same-sex marriages.

A study from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law outlined that Texas could add more than $180 million dollars to its economy if it allowed same-sex couples to marry.

The study predicts that more than 23,000 same-sex couples would marry in Texas within a three year period, creating a nearly $15 million dollar boost to sales tax revenue.

The study applies Texas population data to a model based on states where gay marriage has been legalized and provides a financial argument for same-sex marriage.

But executive director of the socially conservative group Texas Values, Jonathan Saenz, has a different opinion, saying, "For 10 straight years, Texas has been ranked as the top state for business. It's no surprise that Texas has also defined marriage between one man and one woman in its constitution during these same 10 years."

Christy Mallory, one of the authors of the study, said that she believes the chances of passing pro-gay marriage legislation in conservative Texas are slim.

However, spokesman for gay rights group Freedom to Marry, Kevin Nix, claims that allowing gay people to marry is a conservative value, stating, “It’s about limited government and it’s about stronger families.”

Nonetheless, voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment in 2005 that banned gay marriage, and legislative proposals to lift that ban have seen a quick demise at the capitol.

You can read the full results of the study here.

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