Summary

Footage Information

CONUS Archive
160425
Hate - Crimes
Austin,Texas
Vo/Sot
5/12/1999
11:06
1:46
Austin,Texas State Sen. Rodney Ellis, (D) Houston
people standing silent, pictures, silent woman, pictures, silent circle, Ellis sots, legislators
A PROPOSED REVISION TO THE TEXAS HATE CRIMES LAW APPEARS TO BE IN TROUBLE. THE BILL IS STALLED IN A SENATE COMMITTEE AND MAY NEVER REACH THE FLOOR. THE BILL, WHICH HAS ALREADY PASSED THE HOUSE, IS NAMED FOR JAMES BYRD, JR. BYRD, A BLACK MAN, WAS DRAGGED TO DEATH IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THREE WHITE MEN WERE CHARGED IN THE MURDER AND ONE HAS ALREADY BEEN SENTENCED TO DEATH. SOME SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE OPPOSED THE BILL, SAYING THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE CERTAIN CLASSES OF PEOPLE AFFORDED SPECIAL STATUS NOT AFFORDED TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. THOSE SENTIMENTS HAVE BEEN ECHOED BY GOVERNOR GEORGE W. BUSH AND ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN CORNYN. THE BILL'S SPONSOR SAYS HE THINKS THE STUMBLING BLOCK INVOLVES THE ISSUE OF INCLUDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN THE LAW, AN ITEM HE WON'T REMOVE. THE DEBATE HAS TAKEN ON A NATIONAL DIMENSION SINCE BUSH IS EXPECTED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS CALLED FOR PASSAGE OF THE MEASURE. SENATE DEMOCRATS SAY THEY MAY HOLD UP OTHER LEGISLATION IF THIS BILL ISN'T APPROVED. SOUTHWES
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