BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.J.R. 87
89R30689 LHC-F	By: Huffman
	Criminal Justice
	5/13/2025
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.J.R. 87, if approved by the Texas voters, would amend Article I, Section 11 of our state constitution to require the denial of bail to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony who have previously been convicted of certain offenses punishable as a felony or who were released on bail for certain offenses punishable as a felony at the time of the instant offense.

S.J.R. 87 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony who have previously been convicted of certain offenses punishable as a felony or who were released on bail for certain offenses punishable as a felony at the time of the instant offense.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article I, Texas Constitution, by adding Section 11f, as follows:

Sec. 11f.� (a)� Provides that this section applies only to a person accused of committing one or more of certain felony offenses.

(b) Requires that a person to whom this section applies, notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution, be denied bail pending trial if a judge or magistrate determines after a hearing that probable cause exists to believe that the person engaged in the conduct constituting the instant offense and the person was previously convicted of an offense described by Subsection (a) of this section or at the time of the instant offense, was released on bail for an offense described by Subsection (a) of this section.

SECTION 2.� Requires that the proposed constitutional amendment be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2025. Sets forth the required language of the ballot.