Tag Archives: Rodney Ellis

Wendy Davis

Posted on May 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been a fan of freshman State Sen. Wendy Davis since I interviewed her last year at the state Democratic convention. You could tell she was smart and ambitious, and if given the chance could really go places. I’ve been … Continue reading →

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Senators versus TCEQ

Posted on April 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

If there were a competition for the most toothless (least toothful?) state regulatory agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) would surely be a contender for the title, most likely along with the Texas Ethics Commission. It’s gotten bad … Continue reading →

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Senate passes Safe Passing bill

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via email from the CTC: On Tuesday, the Texas Senate passed the Safe Passing bill on the third reading. Thanks to each of you who contacted your senator: you helped make it happen! Before it passed, Senator Patrick proposed two … Continue reading →

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Videotaping interrogations

Posted on April 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

One of Sen. Rodney Ellis’ many criminal justice reform bills has passed the Senate. Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, won Senate approval of a measure intended to encourage the recording of police interrogations. Ellis said his Senate Bill 116 arose out … Continue reading →

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Statewide smoking ban update

Posted on April 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Earlier in this session, I thought the odds of a statewide smoking ban getting passed were pretty good. As of this point, however, it appears to be a dicier proposition. The chairman of the House committee considering a proposed statewide … Continue reading →

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Voter ID must be reviewed

Posted on April 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is generally good news, but maybe not quite as good as it sounds. Texas’ proposed Voter ID law would be subject to approval by the U.S. Department of Justice or federal court for it to become law, federal officials … Continue reading →

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Perry walks back secession talk

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As the sun rises in the east, so do politicians who say stupid things revise and extend those remarks afterward when people start asking them questions about what they really meant. And so it was the case with Rick Perry, … Continue reading →

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Rodney Ellis

Posted on April 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Nice profile of State Sen. Rodney Ellis, which talks about his propensity for introducing long-shot bills, and his persistence in getting some of them passed over the course of multiple sessions. This bit summarizes it well: “Occasionally, Senator Ellis will … Continue reading →

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Senate passes budget

Posted on April 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The good news is that the budget presented by the Senate isn’t a big step backwards, which was a real concern given the bleak financial picture and the huge obligation of the property tax cuts, which we continue to be … Continue reading →

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Innocence, exoneration, and compensation

Posted on March 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve seen all of the stories about inmates being freed from jail in Texas after however many years inside, the result of DNA evidence proving they could not have committed the crime for which they were convicted. But what happens … Continue reading →

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Your eyes may deceive you

Posted on March 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron covers a report by the Justice Project about faulty eyewitness testimony and the many wrongful convictions to which it has led. Most wrongful convictions in Texas stem from mistaken eyewitness identifications, errors that experts say could have been … Continue reading →

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Planning the workaround

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

While one may feel reasonably optimistic about the chances of a legislative override to Governor Perry’s decision to reject stimulus funds for unemployment insurance, it never hurts to try to grease the skids a little. Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson … Continue reading →

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Parker versus Perry

Posted on March 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I like this. Houston City Controller Annise Parker sharply criticized Texas Governor Rick Perry today for rejecting $555 million in federal stimulus money that would have funded unemployment benefits for out-of-work Texans. “In January alone, more than 65,000 Houstonians were … Continue reading →

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What you can do today to fight against the Voter ID bill

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via email from State Sen. Mario Gallegos: This Tuesday, March 10, 2009, the Senate Committee of the Whole will conduct a hearing on proposed photo Voter Identification (SB 362 by Fraser) legislation in the Texas Senate Chamber. On behalf of … Continue reading →

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Safe Passing Act in the Senate

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve blogged before about SB488, the “Safe Passing Bill”. Via email from Jon Boyd of the CTC, I’m told that the bill will be heard by the Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security this week. Bike Texas has the … Continue reading →

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Here come stimulus money

Posted on March 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The first batch of funds is arriving. The Department of Housing and Urban Development allocated more than $500 million to Texas cities and counties on Monday, part of a wave of stimulus money expected to flow into the state. Federal … Continue reading →

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Blow before you drive

Posted on March 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

MADD wants to make it harder for people with a drunk driving conviction to get behind the wheel. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is again pushing Texas legislators to require ignition interlocks for people convicted of their first driving while intoxicated … Continue reading →

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Will we or won’t we fix unemployment insurance?

Posted on February 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot of money riding on the answer to that question. The lure of $555 million in federal stimulus money for additional unemployment insurance has Texas legislators mulling whether to expand unemployment benefits to more workers. To get that … Continue reading →

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The sad state of sex education in Texas

Posted on February 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We do a really lousy job of it. In sex education classes, 94 percent of Texas school districts teach that abstaining from sex is the only healthy option for unmarried couples, and, in many cases, students are given misleading and … Continue reading →

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Expanded gambling: It isn’t just for race tracks any more

Posted on February 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an update to the story about the big expanded gambling bill that was filed yesterday. Slot machines also would be allowed at the state’s existing race tracks under the proposal by Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston; Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas; … Continue reading →

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Gambling poll

Posted on February 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Got a press release in the mail on Monday that claims there is broad support for expanded gambling in Texas – in particular, allowing slot machines at existing race tracks and on Indian reservations. I’ll point you to Texas Insider … Continue reading →

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Ellis and Crownover on the smoking ban

Posted on February 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Sen. Rodney Ellis and State Rep. Myra Crownover have an op-ed arguing in favor of the statewide smoking ban legislation they’re sponsoring. I don’t know how persuasive their case may be to anyone who isn’t already in favor of … Continue reading →

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All DNA, all the time

Posted on February 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

How often should we collect DNA from someone who’s been arrested? Some people think the answer should be a lot more often than we do now. Texas is one of several states that draw DNA samples from anyone convicted of … Continue reading →

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More on the safe passing bill

Posted on February 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Bike activist and frequent commenter Peter Wang gets some press. Bicyclist Peter Wang considers Houston traffic a tameable wilderness. He’s dodged his share of open car doors, but over the years, he’s learned how to maneuver around unaccommodating drivers. “You … Continue reading →

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Another step forward for a statewide smoking ban

Posted on February 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The statewide smoking ban proposals picked up the endorsement of the state restaurant association. On Monday, the Texas Restaurant Association voted to support the measure – one they say would “level the playing field” for establishments across Texas. “With 28 … Continue reading →

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Give bikes a little space

Posted on February 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

MTBLawGirl passes on word of a bill that will be of interest to bicyclists. Earlier this month, Texas Senator Rodney Ellis and Representative Linda Harper-Brown filed the Safe Passing Bill in the Senate (SB 488) and House (HB 827) respectively. … Continue reading →

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Two challengers for Dunbar

Posted on February 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Cynthia Dunbar, one of the loonier members of the State Board of Education, has at least two Austin-based Democrats considering challenges against her in 2010. In the past two days, party activist Susan Shelton confirmed to me that she definitely … Continue reading →

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California breathin’

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We may get some cleaner air to breathe here in Texas thanks to California and President Obama. Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to review the Bush administration’s refusal to allow California and 13 other states to set the nation’s … Continue reading →

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