Legislation to address bail policy and gun-related crimes, including some Senate priorities, are among the hundreds of bills now dead for the session.
The proposed reforms target Harris County’s use of appointed magistrates to set low felony bond awards and PR bonds for felons in possession of weapons.
The Houston crime victim advocate will join a 13-member panel as one of five citizens reviewing formal complaints against judges.
Bail release for violent suspects has drawn bipartisan support for Republican judicial candidates in the Democratic-leaning county.
A Houston victims advocate asked lawmakers to consider adding Felon in Possession of a firearm to a law limiting personal bonds for some criminal charges.
As family members shared stories of murdered loved ones, many expressed anger towards elected officials over rising crime in the community.
Abbott criticized Harris County judges on bail policy and said a state constitutional amendment is needed to hold dangerous suspects without bond.
In 2021, a Capital Murder bond for Taylor had been set for $200,000. But Judge Amy Martin lowered bond and released the suspect now charged with the murder of a deputy constable.
The city’s police chief reported that overall crime is down from last year while still well above 2019 levels.
Kim Ogg warned that Houston’s no-questions-asked program would impede the investigation and prosecution of violent crime and incentivize firearm theft.
New data shows the number of suspects on bond for Felon in Possession of a Weapon charged with assault or homicide jumped from nine to 150 since 2015.
At a press conference with elected officials, Crime Stoppers of Houston showed that violent crime, especially towards children, has risen significantly.
