Legislature Passes Bail Reform

The Texas Legislature has approved a landmark bail reform bill, and sent it to Governor Abbott’s desk for his signature. The reforms call for an expansion of preventative detention for some serious offenses, as well as limitations on the use of personal recognizance bonds for certain serious offenses or defendants with previous convictions for some serious offenses. The bill also requires that all charitable bail funds be certified, file monthly reports and be accountable for the persons they bond out of jail.