A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Thursday called for the repeal of a state program that requires drivers convicted of certain traffic offenses to pay annual surcharges to keep their driver's licenses. Senate Bill 93 by state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, is the latest legislative attempt to abolish the Driver Responsibility Program.
Amid what's been a massive bummer of a Texas legislative session, the search for silver linings has been difficult. Over the past week, though, a solid contender has developed: the chance for meaningful criminal justice reform. Specifically, a pair of efforts that would make it easier for ex-offenders to secure employment have picked up steam in recent days.
The Texas Senate on Thursday approved a proposal that would weaken the state’s Driver Responsibility Program, which critics say has unfairly penalized poor Texans.
Time-tested observers of the Texas Legislature have learned to measure their expectations before each session, yet there was a secret hope that the twin engines of liberal and conservative supporters could push important criminal justice reforms over the finish line.
The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition worked closely with lawmakers and coalition partners to pass important criminal and youth justice reforms this legislative session, some of which are featured below. These reforms will improve public safety in Texas communities and bring long-term cost savings to taxpayers.
Dr. Ana Yáñez-Correa, who has served as the Executive Director of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC) since 2005, has accepted the position of Program Officer at the Washington, DC-based Public Welfare Foundation. She will be leading the Foundation’s Criminal Justice program, effective November 2, 2015.
In October 2014, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson partnered with local law enforcement to establish the First Chance Intervention Program, a rehabilitative diversion program for individuals with first-time, Class B misdemeanor marijuana possession offenses. Today, the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC) and Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy released a report examining the First Chance Intervention Program and the potential societal, systemic, and financial benefits that would come with expanding the program to other offenses.
This election season our newspaper added two questions on drug policy to questionnaires we sent candidates for state offices. Rep. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, surprised me with his answer on whether he’d support putting a medical marijuana amendment on the ballot for voters to decide.
MEDIA ADVISORY
September 15, 2014
Contact: Robert Wood
Phone: (512) 637-7709
Broad-Based Coalition Launching Smart-On-Crime Initiative
AUSTIN, TX — The Texas Smart-On-Crime Coalition will announce a wide-ranging and comprehensive criminal justice reform agenda for the 2015 Legislative Session at a Capitol news conference on Wednesday, September 17, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.
