February 4, 2019      5:06 PM

Whitmire and Murr take another run at bail reform package

Bill expands Abbott proposals, but still has critics

Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire, D-Houston, and Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, unveiled a bail bond reform package today in response to recent federal court rulings declaring Dallas and Harris Counties’ systems unconstitutional. Joined by Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht and Court of Criminal Appeals Chief Justice Sharon Keller.

“Criminal justice is a system,” Whitmire said introducing SB 682, called the Damon Allen Act. “If any component is not working well, it impacts the system. Bail is one of the most broken parts of our criminal justice system.”

By James Russell

Copyright February 04, 2019, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved