SENATE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

COMMITTEE:     Criminal Justice 

TIME & DATE:   10:00 AM, Friday, December 9, 2022 

PLACE:         E1.016 (Hearing Room) 
CHAIR:         Senator John Whitmire 

The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice will meet on Friday, December 9, 2022, at 10 a.m. in E1.016 to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim committee charges:

·                Illegal Temporary License Plates: Examine and report on the relationship of the unlawful sale and use of temporary paper license plates with crimes related to human trafficking, drug trafficking, theft, and homicide.

·                Re-entry Programs for Inmates: Review current offender re-entry programs provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and county jails, and identify barriers to their success. Make recommendations to enhance successful programs to ensure adequate resources and support for released offenders.

·                Criminal Case Backlogs: Evaluate the current backlog of criminal cases. Consider and recommend ways to reduce delays and ensure timely resolution of cases, including an examination of methods developed by district attorneys, judges, and court administrators.

·                Public Safety: Examine the recent Harris County release from custody of hundreds of criminal defendants onto the streets without bond or review by a magistrate. Identify what caused this threat to public safety in Harris County and determine if it has occurred in any other counties in Texas. Make recommendations to ensure criminal defendants are timely brought before a magistrate for probable cause hearings and bond hearings, and that appropriate bond is set.

Public testimony will be limited to 2 minutes per person.  If submitting written testimony, please provide 15 copies to committee staff with your name on each copy.

NOTICE OF ASSISTANCE AT PUBLIC MEETINGS

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WHO PLAN TO ATTEND THIS MEETING AND WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER OR PERSONAL ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES, ARE REQUESTED TO CONTACT THE SENATE COMMITTEE COORDINATOR AT 512/463-0070, 72 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING SO APPROPRIATE ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE.

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