Bail Reform Signed Into Law

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Gov. Abbott yesterday signed Senate Bill 6, the Damon Allen Act, into law at the Texas Pastor Council's Safer Houston Summit. 

The Damon Allen Act will keep Texas communities safe and secure by prohibiting the release on personal bond of defendants charged with a violent offense or who are charged while released on bail. 

The bill also requires a defendant be granted or denied bail within 48 hours of their arrest and that a defendant's criminal history be examined before setting bail.

(Full story here.)
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Incoming Legislators File Over 500 Bills Two Months Ahead Of Opening Day

[Texas Politics 365] 

Texas State House, photo by Stephen Abbott

Spectrum News 1 reports that incoming lawmakers are already filing bills for the 2021 session. Over 540 of them, in fact: 

"Thousands of pieces of legislation are filed each session, but a fraction of them make it through to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk in the 140 days lawmakers have to complete their work. This next session will be particularly difficult with the state forecasting billions of dollars in shortfalls to the budget due to the coronavirus pandemic. Redistricting, or the redrawing of the state’s political maps, is also on the table next year.

Legislation dealing with redistricting was filed on Monday. There were also about 30 bills related to elections that had been proposed in both the House and Senate."

The 2021 legislative session begins on January 12, and ends on May 31.
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