Gov. Greg Abbott pushed his bail reform proposal at a Houston Crime Stoppers roundtable alongside families of victims murdered by dangerous criminals out on bond.
Flanked by local law enforcement, Crime Stoppers CEO Rania Mankarious, and the families, Abbott declared, “The fact is that activist judges in Harris County are protecting dangerous criminals instead of the innocent people they victimize.”
There have been over 200 cases of dangerous criminals free on bond killing an innocent person in the Houston area since 2019, according to Abbott.
Abbott’s proposed constitutional amendment centers on three reforms:
1) Judges would be required to deny bail to defendants accused of violent offenses such as murder, rape, and human trafficking—unless there is “clear and convincing evidence” that the defendant will appear in court and not pose a danger to the community.
2) Judges who do grant bail to violent offenders must provide a written, public explanation for their decision, thereby increasing transparency and accountability.
3) Prosecutors would gain the right to appeal judges’ bail decisions that they believe endanger public safety.
Abbott called out Harris County Judge Hilary Unger by name, citing her as emblematic of the problem.
Unger has faced intense criticism from law enforcement and victims’ advocates for setting bonds for defendants accused of capital murder, including the 2024 case of Dremone Francis, who was released on $1 million bail after being charged in the ambush killing of Harris County Sheriff Deputy Fernando Esqueda.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire said earlier this year that 900 people accused of murder were free on bond in Houston.
State Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow judges to deny bail for the most violent crimes and require written justifications for bail decisions. While SJR 5 passed the Senate overwhelmingly, it has stalled in the House and does not include the full reforms proposed by Abbott.
Abbott said his team was in communication with Huffman, who agreed his proposals should be included in the legislation.
However, constitutional amendments require two-thirds approval in both chambers, meaning Democrats could potentially stall the legislation.
If passed by the Legislature, constitutional amendments must then be approved by voters.
Abbott emphasized that the legislation had to be in place before the end of May to be included on the November election ballot.
