AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas House on Sunday night failed to advance House Bill 20, spelling the legislation’s defeat.
H.B. 20 was a sweeping bill that doubled down on our broken money bail system by making it harder for Texans accused of certain offenses to get out of jail if they couldn’t afford it. The proposal required people to pay for their release from jail when accused of various crimes. It also blocked charitable bail organizations from posting bail for people accused of certain offenses.
The following quote can be attributed to Nick Hudson, policy and advocacy strategist of the ACLU of Texas:
"The defeat of Texas’ dangerous bail bill is a win for all Texans. H.B. 20 would have enriched the bail industry while undermining public safety and punishing the poor. It solved nothing. We are grateful to the many organizations, lawmakers, and concerned Texans who advocated against this terrible legislation.
Now, it's time to go back to the drawing board and pass a bill that will actually reform the bail system. We look forward to working with lawmakers and partners to create a strong, fair justice system for the benefit and wellbeing of all Texans."
