Rodney Ellis

Infobox State Senator


imagesize = 150px
honorific-prefix =
name = Rodney Ellis
honorific-suffix =
state_senate = Texas
state = Texas
district = 13th
term_start = 1990
preceded = Craig Anthony Washington
succeeded = Incumbent
party = Democratic
birth_date = birth date and age|1954|4|7
birth_place = Houston, Texas
death_date =
death_place =
spouse = Licia Green Ellis
residence = Houston, Texas
alma_mater = Texas Southern University, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas Law School
occupation =
profession = attorney
religion = Protestant
website =

Rodney Glenn Ellis [cite web
url = http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/pub/user_form22.asp?step=1&pers_id=3156
title = Rodney Ellis
accessdate = 2007-01-03
publisher = Texas State Cemetery] (born 7 April 1954) [cite web
url = http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/general/senate/senateaddr.shtml
title = State Senate Candidates for 2002 General Election
accessdate = 2006-12-26
date = 2002-09-13
author = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Rodney Ellis is currently serving in his sixth term in the Texas Senate from Houston. During his sixteen year tenure in the Texas Senate, the Senator has earned praise as a legislative leader on economic development, education, civil rights, tax cuts, criminal justice and workforce development issues.

Senator Ellis has passed over 400 pieces of legislation. One of his most notable legislative accomplishments includes passage of the $650 million TEXAS Grants Program. This program has provided free college tuition to over 137,000 students and continues to contribute to a more skilled and competitive Texas workforce.

In 1999, Senator Ellis passed a tax relief bill that created the 3-day sales tax holiday and provided businesses franchise tax relief for job creation, capital investment, and research and development. By the end of the 2005 fiscal year, this bill saved taxpayers over $1.7 billion.

Ellis also authored the James Byrd, Jr., Act, an anti-hate crimes bill, and has been recognized for his leadership in improving and protecting the integrity of the Texas criminal justice system by increasing indigent criminal defense funding and fighting to ban the execution of the mentally retarded.

Senator Ellis currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Organization. This Committee looks at ways to improve the efficiency of Texas state government. He also sits on the Senate State Affairs, Criminal Justice and Transportation and Homeland Security Committees. Over the course of his time in the Senate, Ellis has chaired the Senate Finance, Jurisprudence and Intergovernmental Relations Committees.

Senator Ellis is the managing director of Rice Financial Products Company, a financial services firm and is vice-chair of The Tagos Group, a firm providing business consulting, business services and business products to Fortune 500 companies. Senator Ellis has a diverse background in international finance and he played an important role as advisor to the Mexican government in the ratification of the NAFTA Treaty. Senator Ellis successfully brought a strategic partner to Telkom South Africa and has helped equity partners in telecommunications projects throughout Africa.

Senator Ellis currently serves on the National Commission on Energy Policy, the University of Texas Law School Foundation Board, the Rainbow PUSH board, and is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Innocence Project, Inc. of New York. Senator Ellis is also the former Chairman of the Center for Policy Alternatives. Senator Ellis also acts as a special advisor to the World Forum, a body that aims to promote understanding and co-existence among the various cultures and civilizations in today's world.

Prior to his election to the Texas Senate in 1990, Senator Ellis served three terms as a member of the Houston City Council and as chief of staff to the late U.S. Congressman Mickey Leland. He holds a bachelor's degree from Texas Southern University and has a master's degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. In 2005, Senator Ellis was honored by the University of Texas with its Distinguished Alumnus Award. Ellis also studied at Xavier University of New Orleans and the London School of Economics.

Rodney Ellis is married to Licia Green-Ellis and has four children.

Election history

Election history of Ellis from 1992. [Uncontested primary elections are not shown.]

Most recent election

2006

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 2006: Senate District 13 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 2006 General Election | accessdate = 2007-01-03 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Rodney Ellis (Incumbent)
votes = 90,148
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box majority
votes = 90,148
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box turnout
votes = 90,148
percentage =
change = -16.45Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

Previous elections

2002

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 2002: Senate District 13 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 2002 General Election | accessdate = 2007-01-03 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Rodney Ellis (Incumbent)
votes = 107,897
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box majority
votes = 107,897
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box turnout
votes = 107,897
percentage =
change = +24.55Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

1998

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 1998: Senate District 13 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1998 General Election | accessdate = 2007-01-03 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Rodney Ellis (Incumbent)
votes = 86,631
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box majority
votes = 86,631
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box turnout
votes = 86,631
percentage =
change = -3.56Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

1994

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 1994: Senate District 13 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1994 General Election | accessdate = 2007-01-03 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Rodney Ellis (Incumbent)
votes = 89,832
percentage = 100.00
change = +8.59Election box majority
votes = 89,832
percentage = 100.00
change = +17.18Election box turnout
votes = 89,832
percentage =
change = -39.29Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

1992

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 1992: Senate District 13 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1992 General Election | accessdate = 2007-01-03 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Rodney Ellis (Incumbent)
votes = 135,262
percentage = 91.41
change =Election box candidate with party link
party= Libertarian Party (US)
candidate = John Persakis
votes = 12,713
percentage = 8.59
change =Election box majority
votes = 122,549
percentage = 82.82
change =Election box turnout
votes = 147,975
percentage =
change =Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

References

External links

* [http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist13/dist13.htm Senate of Texas - Senator Rodney Ellis] official TX Senate website
* [http://www.rodneyellis.com Rodney Ellis] official campaign website
* [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=5438 Project Vote Smart - Senator Rodney Ellis (TX)] profile
*"Follow the Money" - Rodney Ellis
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=80886 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=71823 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=6292 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=52136 1998] campaign contributions

Persondata
NAME=Rodney Ellis
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Houston, Texas politician
DATE OF BIRTH=7 April 1954
PLACE OF BIRTH=Santa Fe, New Mexico
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=