A trio of Senate bail reform measures has advanced in the House. Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider says the most controversial was a proposed constitutional amendment that would deny bail pending trial to people in the country without legal status who are accused of a range of serious felonies.
Senate Joint Resolution 1 is also known as Jocelyn’s Law for Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old Houston girl who was sexually assaulted and killed last year – allegedly by two undocumented immigrants from Venezuela. Republican Representative John Smithee presented SJR 1 to the House.
“Had we passed this constitutional amendment six years ago, there would be little boys and girls still alive today who were tragically killed.”
Several Democrats raised concerns that SJR 1 would violate the due process rights of immigrants. The measure garnered a majority vote, but not the two-thirds majority needed to pass without a third reading. Two other bail reform measures that would make it easier to hold those accused of serious crimes without bond pending trial passed with overwhelming majorities. I’m Andrew Schneider in Houston.
