AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas House passed Senate Bill 9 on Monday, which violates the right to a fair legal process by potentially keeping people in jail who would otherwise be able to post bond and return to their loved ones, regardless of what the judge in their case determined.
The following quote can be attributed to Nick Hudson, senior policy and advocacy strategist for the ACLU of Texas:
“S.B. 9 further cements a two-tiered system of justice in Texas — one for the wealthy and one for everyone else. In certain cases, it strips judges of their authority and hands prosecutors unchecked power to jail people even after a court has deemed them safe for release. It also forces judges to set cash bail for even first-time offenses, including some misdemeanors, with no regard for a person’s risk. This bill violates basic principles of due process, keeps poor people in jail for being poor, and hands prosecutors a veto over judicial decisions. Texas families deserve reforms rooted in evidence, fairness, and public safety instead of fear.”
VIDEO: Victims of the current cash bail system previously spoke out at a press conferences in Austin (March) and Houston (April).
Access the ACLU of Texas’ brief, “Bail in Texas,” which outlines the failures of Texas’ bail system and recommendations for improving it: https://www.aclutx.org/sites/default/files/bail_in_texas_3.5.pdf
