The Texas House gave initial approval to a package of bail reform legislation long championed by Gov. Greg Abbott, moving key portions of his public safety agenda one step closer to the governor’s desk.
An uphill battle remains, however, for a proposal to deny bond to illegal aliens charged with felonies.
At the center of the package is Senate Bill 9, which passed the House 122-20. The legislation adds strict new limits on personal bonds, imposes accountability standards on magistrates, regulates charitable bail organizations, and gives prosecutors expanded authority to appeal lenient bail decisions.
The bill has been a top priority for Abbott, who has held a series of press conferences recently this month alongside victims, law enforcement officials, and lawmakers, urging immediate action on the measure.
“The urgent need to fix a broken bail system in the state of Texas … is literally killing our fellow Texans,” Abbott said at a press conference earlier this month, calling on legislators to pass a constitutional amendment to give judges the tools they need to keep dangerous criminals off the streets.
State Rep. John Smithee (R–Amarillo), who carried the legislation in the House, said the vote marked the culmination of years of effort.
“We’ve tried this for five sessions,” said Smithee. “This is the fifth session we’ve worked on this, and in those five sessions that have transpired, we’ve had a number of senseless murders and other crimes committed that would have been prevented if this legislation had passed.”
Under current law, magistrates—who are responsible for setting bail in most counties—often operate with minimal oversight. Critics say this has contributed to the release of violent offenders who go on to reoffend.
State Rep. A.J. Louderback (R–Victoria), who previously served as the sheriff of Jackson County, noted the deadly consequences of the current system.
“Reports show since 2019, over 200 criminal cases in the greater Houston area involved defendants previously released on low cash or no cash bonds, who subsequently assaulted or killed another person,” said Louderback. “Those victims’ lives are changed forever.”
State Rep. Mitch Little (R–Lewisville), who supported the bill and played a key role in floor debate, said it would make communities safer.
“It’s going to make the people in our districts back home safer, and it’s going to protect us from ongoing violent conduct by people who are repeat violent offenders,” said Little.
Alongside SB 9, the House also approved Senate Joint Resolution 5, a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow judges to deny bail in serious felony cases if prosecutors demonstrate the defendant poses a threat to public safety.
An amendment by Little that would have expanded bail denial to repeat felony offenders, however, was struck down on a point of order.
While constitutional amendments require two-thirds support, the measure passed 133-8 and will appear on the November ballot if approved by the Senate.
Another proposal may not be as fortunate.
Senate Joint Resolution 1, known as Jocelyn’s Law, would prohibit bail for illegal aliens charged with a wide array of violent or serious felonies. It passed an initial vote 88-50, short of the two-thirds required. It will receive another vote on Tuesday.
The resolution is named for Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old Houston girl who was murdered in 2024 by two illegal aliens.
Other measures passed Monday include:
- Senate Bill 664: Requires magistrates to receive new training and meet updated qualifications, particularly those involved in bail-setting decisions.
- Senate Bill 40: Bans local governments from using taxpayer funds to support nonprofit bail funds. Notably, House Democrat Caucus Chair Gene Wu (D–Houston) spoke in favor of the bill.
Once given final approval by the House later this week, the Senate is expected to concur with the House’s changes, marking the completion of another of Abbott’s emergency priorities for the current legislative session.
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