Texans for Lawsuit Reform
| Texans for Lawsuit Reform | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Houston, Texas |
| Type: | 501(c)(6) |
| Affiliation: | Bipartisan |
| Top official: | Dick Weekley, Chairman and CEO |
| Founder(s): | Richard J. Trabulsi and Dick Weekley |
| Year founded: | 1994 |
| Website: | Official website |
Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(6) coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents from varied professional backgrounds. TLR, according to their website, "discourages non-meritorious lawsuits or outrageous claims for damages."[1]
Established in 1994, the organization is based in Houston, Texas.
Mission
According to the Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR), the following is their mission statement:[2]
| “ |
Texans for Lawsuit Reform works to shape policy primarily on creating a fair, balanced and predictable Texas civil justice system and also on other critically important core government issues through public education, legislation and citizen support.[3] |
” |
Background
Founded in 1994, Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) based in Houston, Texas. TLR aims to reform the civil legal system to avoid, what it calls, " lottery-type" lawsuits, in which plaintiffs file for "non-meritorious lawsuits or outrageous claims for damages."[1] TLR seeks their objective via political campaigns, through their PAC, Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, legislative lobbying, actively engaging in public relations and judicial selection, and helping to develop case law.[1]
Leadership
The following is a list of the TLR's leadership:[4][2]
- Dick Weekley, Chairman and CEO
- Hugh Rice Kelly, General Counsel
- Allan Shivers, Jr.
- Richard Trabulsi Jr., President
- Lupe Fraga, Treasurer
- Fred Heldenfels, Director
- Frederick Rowe, Director
- Mary Tipps, Executive Director
Finances
The following is a breakdown of TLR's revenue from contributions and grants, total revenue, and expenses for 2010-2013 fiscal years, as reported to the IRS.
| Annual contributions and grants received, total revenue and expenses for TLR, 2010-2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax Year | Contributions and grants received | Total annual revenue | Expenses |
| 2013[2] | $3,194,810 | $3,264,760 | $2,911,203 |
| 2012[5] | $2,955,375 | $2,990,853 | $2,093,909 |
| 2011[6] | $3,594,700 | $3,663,172 | $4,126,091 |
| 2010[6] | $2,536,543 | $2,584,905 | $2,604,389 |
Affiliated programs
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
Texans for Lawsuit Reform established a PAC, Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, which seeks to help elect to office politicians "who understand the importance of maintaining the historic civil justice reforms that are strengthening the Texas economy and ensuring access to health care throughout the state."[7]
In the 2004 election cycle, business interests outspent plaintiffs and their attorneys $21.5 million to $13.3 million, a Texas-first. Much of the funding, from both sides, came from state-level organizations. According to a BusinessWeek Report, Texans for Lawsuit Reform was, at that point, the most powerful organization shaping Texas' legal landscape. From 1996 to January 2007, TLR's PAC spent more than $13 million promoting liability limits.[8]
From 2000 to 2014, the PAC's top donors included Bob Perry's estate, the former Houston-based homebuilder, Robert McNair, owner of the NFL team the Houston Texans, Harold Simmons, businessman and financier, Richard Weekley, TLR's chairman and CEO, Boone Pickens, businessman and financier, and Anthony Annunziato, principal and president of AAA Capital Management Advisors.[9]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bob Perry[9] | $2,856,000 |
| Robert McNair[9] | $2,475,000 |
| Harold Simmons[9] | $2,400,000 |
| Richard Weekley[9] | $2,295,925 |
| Boone Pickens[9] | $1,350,000 |
| Anthony Annunziato[9] | $1,265,000 |
In 2016, the PAC, according to the San Antonio Express-News, contributed more than $560,000 to support Texas State Senate District 26 candidate Jose Menendez (D) against primary opponent Trey Martinez Fischer (D).[10][11]
In January 2016, Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC gave $15,000 to incumbent Texas state Rep. Charlie Geren (R) in the primary race for Texas District 99. Geren is being challenged by Bo French (R), an equity investor.[12]
Texans for Lawsuit Reform Foundation
The Texans for Lawsuit Reform Foundation is the 501(c)(3) arm of the TLR. According to their website, the Texans for Lawsuit Reform Foundation describes itself in the following way:[13]
| “ |
Texans for Lawsuit Reform Foundation is a nonprofit research organization that provides objective analysis and cutting edge solutions to the challenges presented by the Texas civil justice system. The Foundation’s publications reflect the comprehensive and in-depth legal research necessary to assure that Texas develops and maintains a civil justice system that serves every Texan.[3] |
” |
Leadership
The following is a list of the leadership:[14]
- Hugh Rice Kelly, President
- Richard Trabulsi Jr., Secretary
- Frederick Rowe, Director
Finances
The following is a breakdown of TLR Foundation's revenue from contributions and grants, total revenue, and expenses for 2012-2014 fiscal years, as reported to the IRS.
| Annual contributions and grants received, total revenue and expenses for TLR Foundation, 2012-2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax Year | Contributions and grants received | Total annual revenue | Expenses |
| 2014[15] | $50,250 | $50,250 | $11,550 |
| 2013[14] | $50,100 | $50,100 | $918 |
| 2012[5] | $60,000 | $60,000 | $3,717 |
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Texans for Lawsuit Reform. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Robert McNair
- Trey Martinez Fischer
- Jose Menendez
- Bo French
- Charlie Geren
- 501(c)(6)
- PAC
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 TLR, "About," accessed October 15, 2105
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Guidestar, "TLR, IRS Tax Form 990 (2013)," accessed October 15, 2105
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ TLR, "Leaders," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Guidestar’’, "TLR, IRS Form 990 (2013)," accessed October 16, 2015 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Twelve" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 6.0 6.1 Guidestar’’, "TLR, IRS Form 990 (2011)," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ TLR PAC, "About Us," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ Business Week, "How Business Trounced The Trial Lawyers," January 8, 2007
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Texas Tribune, "Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ San Antonio Express-News, "Menéndez and Martinez Fischer start airing TV ads in Senate District 26," February 12, 2016
- ↑ Texas Observer, "Familiar Foes Face Off in San Antonio Senate Race," February 27, 2016
- ↑ Star-Telegram, "GOP battle for Texas House District 99," February 10, 2016
- ↑ TLR Foundation, "Home," accessed October 16, 2105
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Guidestar’’, "TLR Foundation, IRS Form 990 (2013)," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ Guidestar’’, "TLR Foundation, IRS Form 990 (2014)," accessed June 1, 2016
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