Multiple new laws addressing public safety, crime and border security are now in effect. The legislature passed bills related to these issues during the regular legislative session and Gov. Greg Abbott signed them into law.
Abbott signed four bills into law in June related to fentanyl. One of the most significant is House Bill 6, filed by Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth, which amends existing law to classify fentanyl poisoning as murder. Another new law requires death certificates to state cause of death related to fentanyl poisonings. Another expands the distribution of NARCAN to Texas colleges and universities, and another expands educational initiatives to young people about the dangers of fentanyl.
Eight new public safety bills went into effect Sept. 1. The bills, which received bipartisan support, were designed to enhance penalties for some crimes, provide additional support to law enforcement personnel and local communities, and hold “rogue” district attorneys accountable.
They include the Todd-Hoglan Act, which closes loopholes in state law and enhances penalties for those who commit aggravated assault that result in devastating brain or spinal injuries; increasing penalties for catalytic converter theft; holding accountable district attorneys who refuse to prosecute certain crimes; increasing penalties for illegal street racing; imposing harsher penalties for parolees who remove their ankle monitors; increasing penalties for crimes committed against health-care workers.
Senate Bill 402, filed by Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, also went into effect. It amends current law to require trial courts to prioritize hearings and trials for murder and capital murder offenses.
Whitmire filed the bill to address a criminal case backlog in Harris County, where the average wait time from when a case is filed and tried is 44 months, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Over 1,800 of these cases are awaiting trial in Harris County, according to the DA’s office. The number of people charged with committing a crime while out on two to four bonds has climbed in Harris County. From 2016 to 2020, the number of alleged criminals released on multiple bonds quadrupled from 1,812 to 7,312, Houston Public Media reported, and the numbers continue to climb.
