The Harris County Commissioners Court, despite constituent opposition, passed a resolution Tuesday calling for universal background checks.
The consent decree would result in most pre-trial misdemeanor arrestees to be released as soon as practicable after arrest. One arrestee released under this bail reform approach allegedly murdered his wife and unborn child.
Although the resolution requested by Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia to support so-called "universal background checks" was not placed on the agenda this week, it could be brought up at a later meeting.
The Harris County proposal would implement a no-documentation-required critical leave policy for county employees who may be victims of crime.
County commissioners Jack Cagle and Steve Radack stopped a tax increase on Harris County residents by skipping today's meeting and depriving the body of a quorum.
The continuing 3-2 divide on the Harris County Commissioners Court is coming to a head as Judge Lina Hidalgo pushes for a max property tax increase on residents.
Harris County is moving forward with plans to place a polling location inside the county's jail for pretrial defendants to have ballot access.
The controversial metric adopted by the commissioners court could result in fewer resources being deployed to certain flood-prone areas of Houston.
The new bail bond settlement requires $6.2 million in financial assistance to some misdemeanor arrestees to mitigate lack of transportation, childcare, phone, and permanent housing.
According to one commissioner, Harris County officials attempted to push through a road funding reallocation and immigration resolution without lawful notification.
