After the Trump administration announced an abrupt change to the census deadline, the largest county in Texas is among those suing to keep the count going until October.
Rodney Ellis
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State Government
Secret recordings in Texas: A brief history of some Capitol controversies
Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announced he would not seek reelection a week after the release of an infamous recording of a conversation between him and a political activist. It’s not the first time that secret recordings caused a stir in Texas politics.
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Criminal Justice
Hate crime law results in few convictions and lots of disappointment
In Texas, the tiny number of successful prosecutions leave both victims and lawmakers questioning state’s commitment to punishing hate.
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Criminal Justice
Rodney Ellis leaves Texas Senate with criminal justice legacy
The 2017 legislative session will open without former state Sen. Rodney Ellis, a 26-year lawmaker who became a criminal justice reform titan in the upper chamber.
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Criminal Justice
How Michael Morton’s Wrongful Conviction Has Brought Others Justice
Thirty years ago, a Williamson County murder set in motion a shoddy prosecution that led to the wrongful conviction of Michael Morton. It’s a miscarriage in justice that’s still felt in the state’s criminal cases.
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Politics
Ellis Wins Democratic Nomination for Harris County Commissioner
State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, has won the Democratic nomination for a vacant seat on the Harris County commissioner’s court, putting the 26-year Texas Senate veteran on a path to leave the Legislature by next year.
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Politics
Democrats’ Alliance with Battleground Texas Shows Strains Ahead of Elections
While many Democrats have mixed feelings about the group that helped lead the party’s election efforts in 2014, Battleground Texas officials still believe in their long-term strategy to turn Texas blue.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: May 12, 2015
The nonprofit group that has been secretly videotaping legislators this session has drawn the scrutiny of the Texas Rangers, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Posted inState Government
Lawmakers Lend an Ear to Concerns Over Payday Loans
Lawmakers from both chambers gathered Wednesday to lend support to a range of bills that would limit the loan size and number of installments offered by payday and auto title lenders.
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Transportation
Self-Driving Car Bill Stalled by Google, Carmakers
Both Google and an industry group representing major auto manufacturers have come out against a bill from state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, to create a pilot program to monitor and encourage testing of self-driving cars in Texas.