Senator Rodney Ellis

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 co-founder of Apex Securities, Inc., an investment banking firm that is affiliated with Rice Financial Products Company, a financial services firm.  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.