Rep. Hughes honored with Legislative Hero Award
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation kicked off Celebrate Pro Bono Week by hosting a luncheon with the Supreme Court of Texas and honored Representative Bryan Hughes with a Legislative Hero Award …
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Rep. Hughes honored with Legislative Hero Award
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation kicked off Celebrate Pro Bono Week by hosting a luncheon with the Supreme Court of Texas and honored Representative Bryan Hughes with a Legislative Hero Award for his commitment to access to justice.
The Texas Access to Justice Commission, the State Bar of Texas and Texas legal aid service providers have joined a national effort to highlight the need to expand access to justice through pro bono civil legal services. It is estimated that there is only one legal aid lawyer for every 9,800 low-income Texans who qualify for free legal services. As a result, for every one Texan helped by a legal aid organization, another qualified individual is left to handle their legal problems on their own. The University of North Texas Survey Research Center estimates that Texas lawyers donate more than 2 million hours of pro bono work every year to help alleviate this justice gap.
The Texas Access to Justice Commission and Foundation launched the Legislative Hero Award program in 2010 to recognize legislators who have significantly advanced access to justice in Texas by assisting with the appropriation of funds and/or other substantive activities related to the provision of legal aid in the state.
As vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Hughes, who is from Mineola, consistently supported legislation to address funding shortfalls affecting legal aid programs and the Texans they serve. In the last legislative session, as a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Courts, Hughes’ vote of support was key to the Supreme Court receiving a $10 million appropriation for legal aid for survivors of sexual assault.
“Ensuring that survivors of sexual assault have access to the legal resources they need is critical to their safety, health and well-being,” said Hughes. “Legal aid provides a vital lifeline to Texans in need.”
Senator Judith Zaffirini and Representative Jessica Farrar were also recipients of the honor.