News Release
AUSTIN, Texas – The following
joint statement was issued today by
Harry M. Reasoner, Chair of the Texas Access to
Justice Commission and Richard L. Tate, Chair of the
Texas Access to Justice Foundation:
“Late yesterday the Texas Senate amended Senate Bill
2 of the Special Session. Following on the
formal request for emergency relief by the Texas
Supreme Court, and with the leadership of Senators
Ogden, West, Rodriguez, Hinojosa, Ellis, and Duncan;
Legal Aid was appropriated $17 million in general
revenue funds for the upcoming two years. The Senate
helped preserve legal aid by largely making up for
the $20 million awarded last Session to mitigate the
decline in interest on lawyer trust accounts (IOLTA)
funds. The lawyers of
All Texans should be grateful for the leadership of
the Texas Supreme Court and the action of the Texas
Senate in these efforts to provide access to justice
for Texans who could otherwise not afford it. Agreement by
the House will provide desperately needed
representation to tens of thousands of Texans who
would otherwise be without legal help in cases like
those involving child abuse, domestic violence, and
denial of disability benefits to veterans.”
# # #
The
Texas Access to Justice Commission
was created in 2001 by the Supreme Court of The Texas Access to Justice Foundation (www.teajf.org), created by the Supreme Court of Texas in 1984, is the primary state-based funding source for the provision of civil legal aid in Texas. The organization is committed to the vision that all Texans will have equal access to justice, regardless of their income. The Foundation administers a variety of funding sources, which are earmarked to assist nonprofit organizations in providing legal aid to more than 100,000 Texans each year.
Contact: Kimberly Schmitt
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