Press Contact: Jeremy Cherson, Director of Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
AUSTIN, TX – Today, the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee heard testimony on a package of bail-related bills that pose a direct threat to Texans’ freedom and tax dollars. The Bail Project – which has provided free bail assistance to nearly 1,400 Texans – submitted written testimony for the hearing, urging lawmakers to reject these dangerous proposals.
“Texas taxpayers already spend a billion dollars each year to keep people in jail, not because they pose a threat but simply because they can’t afford bail,” said David Gaspar, CEO at The Bail Project. “These bills would make that problem even worse. Rather than throwing away taxpayers’ hard-earned money on jailing their fellow Texans just for being too poor, we should look for ways to safely release people while they wait for their trial.”
Today’s hearing comes against the backdrop of Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to ram through dangerous, bail-related bills during this legislative session. These bills, introduced by Senator Joan Huffman, include:
- SJR 5, a constitutional amendment which lowers the standards for putting Texans in jail before trial, even if a judge simply thinks they might miss a court date.
- SB 9, which ties judges’ hands by forcing them to jail Texans if they have been accused, but not yet convicted, of certain offenses.
- SJR 1, a constitutional amendment to throw Texas immigrants in jail if they have been accused, but not yet convicted, of a felony.
- SB 40, an attack on charities that pay bail for people who can’t afford it.
If these bills become law, Texans should expect their taxes to go up. On any given day, Texas county jails detain over 53,000 people who have not been found guilty but are simply waiting for their trial. Since housing a person in jail costs an average of $62.41 per day, that means it costs Texas taxpayers $3.3 million every day and $1.2 billion every year to keep people in jail. By keeping even more people behind bars, these bills would worsen that burden.
While Governor Abbott and state lawmakers push for these bills under the excuse of public safety, these dangerous proposals will actually make Texans less safe. Even short jail stays increase the likelihood of a person getting arrested again on new charges. A 2017 study in Harris County found that “those detained pretrial are more likely to commit future crime.” That includes a 30% increase in new felony charges and a 20% increase in new misdemeanor charges.
The Bail Project has provided free bail assistance to nearly 1,400 people in Texas. Our clients include Marcella from Houston, who was struggling with addiction and kidney cancer when she was arrested for missing a court date. After her bail was set at $10,000, she spent four months in jail until The Bail Project heard about her case and paid her bail. A judge later dismissed her case due to lack of evidence.
Thank you for your valuable attention. The urgency and complication of the cash bail crisis requires meaningful participation to create real change – change that is only achieved through the support of readers like you. Please consider sharing this piece with your networks and donating what you can today to sustain our vital work.
