HB 20, a similar bill to horrible bail bill SB 21, will be heard by the Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence this afternoon.
More than 60% of people in Texas jails – nearly 40,000 people – have not been convicted of an offense and are stuck there simply because they cannot afford bail. HB 20 will result in even more people held in jail pre-trial. In addition, the bill would largely take away a judge’s discretion to release people on personal recognizance bond, and would require discriminatory risk assessment tools to be used for all who can not afford to purchase their release.
For more information, call or text Laquita Garcia at (972) 342-5116.