Senator Rodney Ellis filed a bill Wednesday that he says would pressure the Sudanese government to stop the genocide being committed in the Darfur region of that country. Senate Bill 247, the "Stop Darfur Genocide Act" would prohibit state pension funds, notably the Teachers and Employees Retirement System funds, from investing in companies that do business with the Sudanese government, and require them to divest funds already invested with these companies. Ellis said that economic pressure is the best way for Texas to affect the domestic policy of the Sudan. "This targeted disinvestment approach will maximize the impact to the Sudanese government, while minimizing harms to the Sudanese citizens and investment returns," said Ellis.
The "Stop the Darfur Genocide Act," filed by Democratic Sen. Rodney Ellis and Republican Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale, both of Houston, claims broad-based support, uniting liberal advocates with social conservatives.
"It's such a compelling case that's killed more than 400,000 people and displaced 2.5 million," Ellis said Tuesday of the 4-year-old strife, which the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian disaster.
"The U.S. government has declared these ongoing atrocities to be genocide," Ellis said. "One would be hard-pressed not to understand the moral implications of being on the wrong side of calling for divestment."
Monday, Representative Ana Hernandez of Houston filed her first bill of the 80th legislative session calling for increased authority within the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality to create and enforce air quality standards. House Bill 440 also seeks to redefine air pollution to include more types of dangerous emissions and to create limits and guidelines for maximum levels of pollutant exposure.
Texas State Representative Ana E. Hernandez (Democrat-Houston) has filed House Bill 440, relating to controlling emissions of air contaminants under the Texas Clean Air Act...to give the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) authority to establish and enforce meaningful air quality standards
The bill calls for a panel of experts in toxicology and epidemiology to be assembled by TCEQ, and for that panel to recommend new standards that would have to be adopted by TCEQ. The bill also defines air pollution as any toxic substance that increases the cancer rate by greater than one chance in one million, and would require public reporting of all violations by the agency.
Representative Hernandez came to office in 2005, winning a Special Election that was held after the death of State Rep Joe Moreno. Since then, she has made it an essential part of her platform to carry on her predecessor's battle for environmental reforms. According to Hernandez;
"The recent UT School of Public Health report clearly shows that even if we cannot prove a direct link between toxins released by plants along the Ship Channel and an individual case of leukemia, there is no doubt that the children in my district have a much greater risk of acquiring cancer than those living in other areas of Houston. Harris County and the state of Texas need air quality standards set at levels low enough to protect public health. There is no reason why parents in my district should have to worry about letting their children go outside to play just because we don't have laws to protect them.
Representative Moreno worked hard during the 79th Regular Session to improve air quality standards. HB 440 contains portions of legislation and amendments that he and other legislators worked hard to pass last session. It is an honor for me to follow in his footsteps in doing what is right to protect the people of District 143."
