Tag Archives: Rodney Ellis

Senate passes a voucher bill

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully, this will die in the House. Some low-income families unhappy with their public schools would get help paying private school tuition under a plan that won tentative approval in the Texas Senate Monday. Senate Bill 4, which would use … Continue reading →

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Senate bill to kill high speed rail advances

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t know there was one of these. The Senate Transportation Committee voted 5-4 to pass out Senate Bill 1601, from state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, which would strip firms developing high-speed rail projects from eminent domain authority. Texas Central High-Speed … Continue reading →

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Joining together for equality

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Standing alongside Democrats, a representative for the state’s powerful business lobby Tuesday denounced two proposed amendments to the state constitution aimed at bolstering protection for people acting on religious beliefs, which detractors say would legalize discrimination against … Continue reading →

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Metro board seeks to expand

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s change that has been anticipated since the 2010 Census data was released. With all indications pointing to more people in the Metropolitan Transit Authority service area living outside Houston than inside the city, Metro officials are asking to accelerate … Continue reading →

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Compromise bill to reform property tax appraisals

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Better than nothing, I guess, but not clear to me yet how much better. State lawmakers are looking to partly close a tax loophole that has allowed big companies to drain tens of millions of dollars from local government coffers … Continue reading →

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Driverless car legislative update

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Like just about everything else under the sun, there were bills filed last week to deal with driverless cars. As self-driving cars move from futuristic concept to plausible technology, the Texas Legislature is looking to become a magnet for the … Continue reading →

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Reforming property tax appraisal protests

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) releases the following statement regarding Senate Bill 1084, his bill to create a fairer property tax appraisal system in Texas: “Homeowners and local communities across Texas are shouldering an unfair burden when large … Continue reading →

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Ellis files bill to protect voting rights

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) releases the following statement regarding tomorrow’s 50th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” part of the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama: “‘Bloody Sunday’ played a pivotal role in the long and painful … Continue reading →

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Statewide non-discrimination ordinance filed

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: On the 179th anniversary of Texas Independence Day, Senator José Rodríguez (D-El Paso) filed Senate Bill 856, a bill that would prohibit discrimination in the areas of employment, public accommodation, housing, and state contracting based upon sexual … Continue reading →

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Michael Morton still has work to do

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We should be glad he’s doing it. Michael Morton, who spent nearly 25 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit, said Monday that under current DNA testing requirements, he wouldn’t have had access to the evidence that led … Continue reading →

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RIP, two-thirds rule

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. With a new lieutenant governor installed for the first time in over a decade Wednesday — and over the cries of Democrats — the Texas Senate voted to break from an almost 70-year tradition intended to encourage … Continue reading →

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Tuition re-regulation on the menu

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

There are different ways it could go. Tuition at Texas universities has more than doubled in the 12 years since state lawmakers authorized colleges to set their own rates. Now legislators are pushing to take back that control. It’s not … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over Senate map

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Texas Redistricting: [Monday] morning, two Texas voters filed a suit in federal court challenging the state senate map drawn by the Texas Legislature on the grounds that it violated the equal protection guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment by using … Continue reading →

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HISD unveils new mascots

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are. The cafeteria at Hamilton Middle School showcases a painting of a Native American in a feathered headdress. Students wear collared shirts with a similar symbol. They were, until Tuesday, the Hamilton Indians. Now, with a new school … Continue reading →

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The farm team

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Roll Call takes a look at the Texas Democrats of the future. Democrats rarely fielded competitive Senate candidates over the past two decades — the party’s three best performers in that time span received 44 percent, 43 percent and 43 … Continue reading →

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State Bar investigating Charles Sebesta

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The State Bar of Texas has opened an investigation into Charles Sebesta, the former Burleson County District Attorney who prosecuted death row exoneree Anthony Graves. The organization that oversees lawyers is investigating alleged professional misconduct by Sebesta, which, if … Continue reading →

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If we must have voter ID, let’s make sure people know about it

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Democratic Senators from Harris County write a letter to County Clerk Stan Stanart. Three Houston state senators are asking Harris County officials to emulate Dallas County’s voter outreach efforts tied to Texas’ new voter identification law. State Sens. Rodney … Continue reading →

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Charles Sebesta needs to be held accountable

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Amen to this. Former Texas death row inmate Anthony Graves, who spent 18 years behind bars before he was exonerated in the bloody 1992 slaying of a Somerville grandmother, her daughter and four grandchildren, is seeking justice against the man … Continue reading →

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Rick Perry doesn’t want people to get health insurance

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

There’s really no other viable explanation. On a White House conference call on Monday, Texas Democrats criticized Gov. Rick Perry and other Republican state leaders for “getting in the way” of implementing federal health care reform. During the call, which … Continue reading →

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How Greg Abbott enabled the payday lenders

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Lone Star Project kicks it off: Abbott’s Green Light to Predatory Lenders Key AG document provided payday lenders a loophole to bilk Texans Greg Abbott’s office issued the key document that has allowed payday lenders to operate outside of Texas usury … Continue reading →

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Raising the minimum wage in Texas

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all the rage elsewhere, but so far I’ve not heard anything about a movement to raise the minimum wage in Texas. While most of the increases amount to less than 15 cents per hour, workers in places like New … Continue reading →

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Payday lending ordinance passes

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In the end, it wasn’t close. The Houston City Council overwhelmingly passed restrictions on payday and auto title lenders Wednesday, avoiding rumored parliamentary maneuvers to delay the vote and calling on the state Legislature to follow suit. The vote was … Continue reading →

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HISD approves change to nickname and mascot policy

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Three schools in the Houston Independent School District are likely to have new mascots that no longer reflect a connection to Native American culture or history after preliminary board approval Thursday night of a policy proposed by Superintendent Terry … Continue reading →

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HISD to take action on “Redskins” nickname

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Houston school district officials, plunging into a national controversy, are considering a policy change that would ban mascot names that might play on racial, ethnic or cultural stereotypes. Houston Independent School District Superintendent Terry Grier is expected … Continue reading →

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We need a Conviction Integrity Unit in Harris County

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the DMN: Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins has gained a national reputation for spearheading prisoner exonerations. As he prepares to seek a third term, Watkins said Thursday he wants to expand on that role and add a few … Continue reading →

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Ken Anderson accepts a plea deal

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Some closure in the Michael Morton case. Former Williamson County State District Judge Ken Anderson, who oversaw the wrongful murder conviction of Michael Morton as a prosecutor, was sentenced to nine days in jail on Friday and will surrender his … Continue reading →

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More Democratic statewide possibilities

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From this story about Democratic hopes for Wendy Davis’ presumed gubernatorial candidacy comes these tidbits about who else might be on the ticket with her. State Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, told Express-News columnist Gilbert Garcia this month that he … Continue reading →

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Jury duty pay raise

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you get called for jury duty, you’ll get a little extra something for your time. For the past two years, jurors in Harris County and elsewhere have been paid $30 a day or less for every day of service … Continue reading →

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Van de Putte for Lite Gov?

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, please. Democratic operatives are scouring Texas to find worthy statewide candidates to run on a 2014 ticket with Sen. Wendy Davis. Davis is expected to announce in the coming weeks whether she’ll challenge for governor or opt to seek … Continue reading →

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Davis reportedly running for Governor

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

At least according to Robert Miller. Credible sources tell me that Sen. Wendy Davis will run for Governor in 2014 and not seek reelection to Texas Senate District 10. It will set up a high stakes match-up with Attorney General … Continue reading →

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What are the odds for Wendy?

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

After a week of Democratic energy and exhilaration like we haven’t seen in a long time here thanks to the Wendy Davis filibuster, there are a lot of people who’d like to see Sen. Davis run for Governor. No doubt … Continue reading →

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Who will be on the Ten Best and Ten Worst lists?

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib starts the speculation. Texas Monthly‘s list of the best and worst legislators of the 83rd session doesn’t come out until June 12, but why should Paul Burka and his colleagues have all the fun? Use this interactive to … Continue reading →

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Wrapping up the rest of the regular session

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

So as we now know, a special session on redistricting has been called, though we don’t yet know what if anything else may be added later. I covered that last night, so let’s cover what else got done at the … Continue reading →

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Special session is called

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

And no one is surprised. With the ink barely dry on the bills passed during the 83rd Legislature’s regular session, Gov. Rick Perry called lawmakers back into an immediate special session to consider redistricting measures for the Legislature and the … Continue reading →

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