Rep. Senfronia Thompson, sponsor of hate crimes legislation in the House, holds a picture of James Byrd Jr. during a 1999 prayer vigil at the Capitol. The 1999 legislation passed in the House, but died in the Senate.
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.