Criminal Justice

Combating Hate Crimes

In 2001, after years of partisan gridlock, Senator Ellis passed the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act. The legislation will give prosecutors an effective tool to combat acts of hatred and prejudice in Texas. The Byrd Act stiffens fines and jail sentences for crimes proven to have been motivated by hate. The legislation builds on another Ellis bill passed in 1993, which created the Hate Crimes Reporting Statute requiring local law enforcement to compile statistics on acts of hate and report to the Department of Public Safety.

Fair Defense for All Texans

In recent years, Texas' criminal justice system has been the focus of intense national and international criticism. In 2001, Senator Ellis passed landmark legislation to overhaul Texas' indigent criminal defense system. The Texas Fair Defense Act ensures prompt appointment of an attorney for indigent criminal defendants, provides guidelines on method of appointment for counsel, establishes minimum standards for appointed attorneys, and provides both state resources and oversight of county's indigent defense systems.

Righting Wrongs

To ensure that the wrongfully imprisoned are able to rebuild their lives, in 2001, Senator Ellis passed legislation to increase the level of compensation for the wrongfully convicted. The legislation allows the wrongfully imprisoned to receive up to $25,000 for each year spent in prison. The maximum a wrongfully imprisoned Texan could recover would be $500,000, up from the $50,000 total allowed under current law.

Lori's Law

In 1997, following the tragic death of an 11 year-old from Houston, Senator Ellis passed legislation to ensure young drivers are held accountable in fatal accidents. Ellis' legislation closed a loophole in the law that allowed a 16-year-old driver responsible for the hit and run death of 11-year-old Lori Ann Braden to go unprosecuted.