ACLU of Texas, Civil Rights Groups Send Letter to Texas Lawmakers to Oppose S.J.R. 87 — Bill That Attacks Due Process

AUSTIN, Texas – Civil rights organizations sent a letter to lawmakers Friday urging them to oppose Senate Joint Resolution 87.

The letter, entitled “Oppose S.J.R. 87 to Protect the Due Process Safeguards Secured in S.J.R. 5,” explains how the amendment would roll back due process protections that were passed earlier this session, as well as undermine constitutional principles. The bill is on the House's Saturday Calendar and requires a two-thirds vote of elected members to pass.

The following quote can be attributed to Nick Hudson (he/him), senior policy and advocacy strategist for the ACLU of Texas:

“S.J.R. 87 would force judges to jail Texans without bail based solely on an accusation by police. No judge weighing the facts. No proof of a public safety risk. This is how innocent people get locked up for years. If this passes there will be grave miscarriages of justice. That's why groups across our state and country are watching this so closely and urging lawmakers to block it.”

The following groups signed on to the letter:

• Act4SA
• Act4SA Action Fund
• American Civil Liberties Union of Texas
• The Bail Project
• Pure Justice Action Fund
• Texas Civil Rights Project
• Texas Jail Project
• Texas Organizing Project
• Vera Institute of Justice
• Wren Action Group

Access the full letter here: https://www.aclutx.org/app/uploads/drupal/sites/default/files/sjr_87_letter.pdf