Rodney Ellis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rodney Ellis
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Ellis in October 2020
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| Member of the Texas Senate from the 13th district |
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| In office February 27, 1990 – January 9, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Craig Washington |
| Succeeded by | Borris Miles |
| Harris County Commissioner from Precinct 1 | |
| Assumed office January 9, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | El Franco Lee |
| Member of the Houston City Council from District D | |
| In office January 2, 1983 – December 28, 1988 |
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| Preceded by | Anthony Hall |
| Succeeded by | Alfred Calloway |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 7, 1954 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Licia Green
(m. 1997) |
| Children | 4 |
| Residences | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Texas Southern University (BA) University of Texas at Austin (MPA, JD) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Rodney Glenn Ellis (born April 7, 1954) is an American politician. He currently serves as a Commissioner for Precinct 1 in Harris County, a role he has held since 2017. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Before becoming a county commissioner, Ellis represented Texas' 13th state senate district in the Texas Senate. He was elected on February 13, 1990, and served until January 9, 2017. During his 26 years in the Senate, he helped pass over 700 new laws.
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Early Life and Education
Rodney Ellis grew up in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Houston. He was one of three children. His parents, Elijha and Oliver Teresa Ellis, worked as a yard man and a maid, and also as health care assistants. Rodney often helped his father with his work during the summers.
He attended B.H. Grimes Elementary and Carter G. Woodson Middle School. He then graduated from Evan E. Worthing High School, where he was the student council president. Ellis first went to Xavier University in Louisiana. Later, he returned to Texas and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Texas Southern University. He continued his studies at the University of Texas, getting a Master's degree in Public Affairs and a law degree (J.D.).
While studying in Austin, Ellis gained experience in Texas government. He worked as an assistant to Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby. He also served as a law clerk for Chief Justice John C. Phillips. Later, he was a legal advisor to Texas Railroad Commissioner Buddy Temple. After that, he moved to Washington, DC to become the chief of staff for U.S. Representative Mickey Leland.
Rodney Ellis met his future wife, Licia, through Congressman Leland. They married in 1997 and have four children: Nicole, Maria, Leland, and Alena.
Serving on the Houston City Council
In 1983, at 29 years old, Rodney Ellis was elected to the Houston City Council. He served three terms, representing District D. While on the Council, he worked to remove abandoned buildings that attracted crime. He helped get more money to tear down these dangerous places. He even drove a front-loader himself to help clean up neighborhoods.
Ellis also worked to increase funding for low-income housing projects in Houston. He helped protect Allen Parkway Village, a housing community. He also pushed for stronger rules to make sure federal housing funds helped low and moderate-income Texans more. He worked to take over abandoned properties and sell them. This helped raise money for housing and other important needs.
As chair of the Economic Redevelopment Committee, Ellis supported policies to boost Houston's economy. He suggested creating a new think tank and a city Department of Commerce. These would help organize the city's economic development plans. He also worked to save city investments in projects like the Palm Center. He pushed for more low-interest loans for small businesses.
Ellis also worked to rename Houston Intercontinental Airport after Mickey Leland following Leland's death. While the entire airport was not renamed, the newest terminal was named in Leland's honor.
In the fight against apartheid in South Africa, Ellis helped convince the University of Houston to stop doing business with companies connected to South Africa. He also helped prevent the merger of University of Houston–Downtown with Texas Southern University. This helped protect Texas Southern's unique history as a historically Black college.
Work in the Texas Senate
Rodney Ellis served in the Texas Senate for 26 years. During this time, he focused on many important issues for Texans.
Budget and Economy
In 1997, Ellis wrote a law to create the Texas Capital Access Fund. This fund provided up to $140 million in loans for small businesses and non-profit groups. It helped businesses that might not get regular loans.
In 1999, he introduced and passed a $506 million tax relief plan. This plan created a three-day sales tax holiday. It also removed sales tax on over-the-counter medicines and cut business taxes. The sales tax holiday helps families save money on things like back-to-school clothes and supplies. In 2021, shoppers saved about $107.3 million during this holiday.
As the leader of the Senate Finance Committee in 2001, Ellis wrote the state's $113.8 billion budget bill. Texas's population had grown a lot, and the budget increased funding by $11.8 billion. Even with a tight budget, Ellis made sure to fund four key areas:
- Expanding Medicaid (health care for low-income people).
- Giving state employees a pay raise.
- Providing health insurance for teachers.
- Offering financial aid for college students.
In 2009, Ellis wrote the Texas Green Jobs Act. This law helped create the first statewide program to train workers for jobs in clean energy.
Civil Rights and Justice
In 1993, Ellis introduced the Motor Voter program. This program allows people to register to vote when they renew their driver's licenses. In 1995, he passed another law to make sure government offices offered citizens a chance to register to vote when they used state services. These efforts aimed to increase participation in elections.
In 2001, Ellis wrote and passed the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act. This law made it clearer and stronger to punish crimes motivated by a victim's race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or background. The law is named after James Byrd, Jr., an African American man who was brutally murdered in a hate crime. In 2009, President Barack Obama signed a similar federal law.
In 2007, Ellis introduced and passed the Stop the Genocide Act. This law required state pension funds to stop investing in companies doing business in Sudan. This was in response to the terrible violence in Sudan's Darfur region.
Ellis also helped pass the Free Flow of Information Act in 2009. This law protects journalists from being forced to reveal their secret sources. It helps ensure the public gets accurate information from an independent press.
In 2009, he introduced and passed a law creating the Holocaust and Genocide Commission. This group helps schools and organizations learn about the Holocaust and other acts of genocide.
Health Care
In 1993, Ellis wrote a law requiring private non-profit hospitals to provide a certain amount of free care to patients without insurance.
In 2001, as head of the Texas Senate Committee on Finance, Ellis helped increase funding for health and human services by $5.1 billion. The budget made it easier to apply for Medicaid. It also increased payments for doctors, dentists, and hospitals. It provided money for mental health services and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
In 2011, Ellis worked to increase access to individual health insurance plans for children under 19. He also sponsored a law to give a voice to people with HIV on the state's HIV Medication Advisory Committee.
Higher Education
In 1999, Ellis sponsored the TEXAS Grant Program. This program helps qualified high school graduates with financial needs go to college by covering tuition and fees. Since 1999, over $4 billion has been invested in this program, helping about 490,000 students.
In 2011, Ellis helped pass a law to support the University of Houston and other Texas universities. The goal was to help them become "Tier One" institutions, meaning they would be top-level research universities.
Efficient Government and Ethics
In 1995, Ellis proposed a change to the state's constitution to get rid of the state treasurer's office. Texas voters agreed, and the office closed in 1996. Its duties were moved to other state agencies, making government more efficient.
In 2003, Ellis sponsored major ethics reforms for state and local officials. These laws required:
- Reporting any campaign donation over $500.
- Preventing lawmakers from representing people for money before state agencies.
- Requiring lawmakers to announce if a close relative is lobbying on a bill they are involved with.
- Revealing all referral fees for legal services.
- Showing how much money is in campaign funds.
- Requiring annual financial reports from candidates and officials in large cities.
Serving as Acting Governor
In 1999, Ellis was named President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. This is usually a ceremonial role. However, when Governor George W. Bush was running for President of the United States, he often traveled out of Texas. When the Governor was away, Lieutenant Governor Rick Perry became acting governor. And when both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor were out of state, Ellis, as President Pro Tempore, became acting governor.
In 1999 and 2000, Ellis served as Acting Governor of Texas for 45 days. He also served as Acting Lieutenant Governor for over 7 days.
Texas Legislative Internship Program (TLIP)
In 1990, Rodney Ellis started the Texas Legislative Internship Program (TLIP). This program helps college students get experience working in the Texas Legislature, state agencies, and local government. Students earn college credit while learning about public service firsthand. Many TLIP graduates have gone on to work in government themselves.
Harris County Commissioner
After the death of Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee in 2016, Rodney Ellis decided to run for the Precinct 1 seat. He won the Democratic nomination and was elected county commissioner in November 2016. He took office on January 1, 2017. He won re-election in March 2020.
As Commissioner, Ellis has played a key role in making important changes. These include reforms to the bail system, fair guidelines for flood control projects, better wages for county workers, and help for residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Response
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ellis led efforts to provide direct help to residents. In May 2020, he helped create a $30 million COVID-19 Relief Fund. This fund gave up to $1,500 to the most vulnerable people in the county, regardless of their immigration or employment status. In July, an additional $40 million was approved for direct help to low-income residents.
In April 2020, Ellis and Harris County approved a $10 million loan program for small businesses. These loans offered zero percent interest for five years and could be forgiven. This helped small businesses stay open and cover costs like rent and payroll.
Ellis also voted for $40 million in emergency rental assistance. This helped low-income residents avoid eviction. An additional $750,000 was approved to provide legal help for renters facing eviction.
Criminal Justice
In February 2019, Commissioner Ellis supported increasing the budget for the Harris County Public Defender’s Office. This allowed them to hire 61 new employees, mostly lawyers. These lawyers represent people who cannot afford legal help in court.
In July 2019, Ellis led the Commissioners Court in approving a major agreement to change the local misdemeanor bail system. A judge had found the old system unfair because it kept poor people in jail before their trial just because they couldn't afford bail. Under the new agreement, about 85% of people arrested for misdemeanors can be released without paying cash bail. This agreement also included public defense services. A report in September 2020 found that these changes did not increase the risk of people reoffending.
In June 2020, after the death of Houston native George Floyd and protests against police brutality, Commissioner Ellis led efforts to pass 11 criminal justice reform measures. These measures aimed to provide civilian oversight of the police. One proposal was to study creating a civilian board to review police use-of-force cases. Also, $25 million was set aside to explore alternatives to jail.
Voting Rights
In August 2019, Ellis voted to restore voting rights for jail inmates. This included setting up a polling place at the Harris County jail for eligible inmates to vote.
In July 2020, Ellis proposed creating an independent election administrator’s office. This would combine election duties that were previously split between two county departments. Ellis argued that the old system was outdated and made it harder for people to vote. Researchers and voting rights groups agreed that this change would improve voter participation in Harris County.
Economic Justice
In July 2018, Ellis helped secure a $600,000 investment from his Precinct. This money funded a study on how Harris County uses minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBE) for contracts. The study found that these businesses received only 9% of county contract money, even though they made up 28% of the available market. This led to calls for fairer practices.
In January 2019, Ellis suggested creating a Department of Economic Opportunity and Equity. This department would work to reduce income inequality in Harris County. It would focus on fair county contracts, job training, business programs, and workers' rights.
In August 2019, Ellis worked to develop Opportunity Builds Harris County. This policy added stronger worker protections and economic opportunities to the county's construction contracts. It requires county contractors to pay workers at least $15 per hour on county building projects. This helps address labor shortages and ensures fair wages.
Environmental Justice
In 2018, Ellis helped get a unanimous decision from the Commissioners Court to approve a $2.5 billion flood bond program. This program would prioritize flood control projects in communities that are more vulnerable. In August 2018, county voters strongly approved the program. The guidelines for these 500+ flood control projects have been recognized nationally for addressing racial inequality and climate change.
After several chemical fires in March and April 2019, Ellis and the Commissioners Court approved an $11.6 million investment. This money was used to buy new equipment and hire 61 employees for the fire marshal’s office, pollution control, and public health departments. This greatly improved Harris County’s ability to respond to environmental emergencies.
In December 2019, Ellis voted to consider legal action against Union Pacific, a large transportation company. This was because of pollution from a rail yard in northeast Houston that had spread to nearby historically Black neighborhoods.
Also in December 2019, chemical companies offered a $1 million grant to Harris County. This money was approved for air quality monitors and training. This helps improve emergency response in the area, which has many petrochemical industries.
Business and Personal Life
Rodney Ellis is a senior advisor at Dentons, a large law firm. He has also advised the Mexican government and worked on the privatization of Telkom South Africa.
He serves on several important boards, including the LBJ Foundation and the Council on Foreign Relations. He used to be the chair of the Innocence Project board.
Ellis helped bring "Lucy," a famous fossil of an early human ancestor, to Houston for an exhibit. He led a group to Ethiopia to bring Lucy's bones to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
Ellis loves cycling and has written laws to make streets safer for drivers and cyclists. He has also participated in and sponsored many cycling events, like the MS 150.
He is also an art collector and has a collection of African art.
As a Commissioner, Ellis has arranged for murals to be painted in public spaces. In April 2022, a mural honored Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first African American woman on the nation’s highest court. In 2018, artists painted the “Sacred Struggles/Vibrant Justice Mural,” which honors eight African-American civil rights leaders in Houston.
Ellis has also led efforts to install statues in public parks. In 2022, he helped place a George Floyd statue in Tom Bass Park in Houston. This artwork, called “A Conversation with George,” was unveiled on the second anniversary of George Floyd's death. In April 2020, Ellis also helped install a statue of the late Congressman Mickey Leland in Houston’s Hermann Park.
Precinct One is also planning the Harris County Remembrance Project Park in downtown Houston. This park will be a place for reflection, education, and activism on social justice issues. It will also have historical markers about lynching victims in the county.
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