Longtime TBC friend Senator Rodney Ellis led fifteen undergraduate, graduate and law students from his Texas Legislative Internship Program on a bike tour of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Ranch near Johnson City on Saturday, March 10. TBC staff organized transportation to the ranch, provided bicycles and accompanied the group on the tour of the ranch, conducted by Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of the former United States President. The group was completely surprised when Luci’s mother, Lady Bird Johnson, now 94, stopped by to say hello.
Karen Domino, District Director for the Senator’s office, was delighted by Luci’s informal and engaging style, but “getting a chance to meet Lady Bird was the culmination of the tour.” One of Karen’s many hats for Senator Ellis is as Director for the internship program, which is the first of its kind in the Texas Legislature when it was started in 1991.
Senator Ellis is an avid cyclist with a number of Houston to Austin MS 150 rides under his belt. His latest of many sponsorships is the Safe Passing Law (SB 248,) currently in the legislative process. SB248, modeled on the 2003 Move Over Act for law enforcement and emergency vehicles, will require motorists to give cyclists at least three-feet clearance when passing.