Ellis was an outspoken advocate of women and children's rights, women's health, sexual harassment and domestic violence prevention and reproductive choice. Chief Sponsor of laws focused on Women, Children and Domestic Violence including:

•Order of Protection Law - protecting victims of sexual harassment including expanding the penalties for violation.

•Illinois Parental Leave Law - expanded the scope and coverage. Required
employers to grant employees up to eight hours a year of leave to attend
school conferences.

•Childhood Sexual Abuse Law - expanded the length of time childhood sexual
abuse victims can file suit for damages against their abusers. •Child Abduction Law - eliminated the 72 hour waiting period for police to
investigate reports of missing children.

•Authorized a parent with a terminal disease to select the guardian of their
children when they become incapacitated or die

. •Authorized minors who were victims of sexual abuse to receive counseling
without first obtaining parental consent.

•Clarified when child abandonment takes place, passed following the
infamous "home alone" case.

•Established a voluntary checkoff on the Illinois income tax returns for breast
cancer research donation.