In the Speaker's Committee Room news conference, Chief Justice Phillips joined State Bar president James Sales, Attorney General Jim Mattox, and legislative leaders in making the announcement.
Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA) is a "collaborative effort of nine legal aid organizations[6] partnering with domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and colleges and universities throughout the state for community outreach, education, and referrals.
[11] Funds from this tax are distributed to programs for sexual assault victims and public education.
In general, in order to qualify for the service, a person must be a Texas resident who has an income of under 125% of the federal poverty guidelines.
[17][18] AVOICE attorneys provide legal advice, advocacy and direct representation for victims of crime.
[22] The program also provides direct representation for Texas veterans in cases involving bankruptcy and foreclosure.
[25] At that time TLSC's efforts were primarily directed at policy advocacy for providing legal aid to Texans.
However, TLSC attorneys also provided limited assistance to the other legal aid offices in significant federal cases whose aim was to help impoverished Texans.