| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds to |
|
|
pay bail bonds. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 140, Local Government Code, is amended |
|
|
by adding Section 140.014 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 140.014. RESTRICTION ON USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS BY |
|
|
POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS TO PAY BAIL BONDS. (a) A political |
|
|
subdivision may not spend public funds to pay a nonprofit |
|
|
organization that accepts and uses donations from the public to |
|
|
deposit money with a court in the amount of a defendant's bail bond. |
|
|
(b) If a political subdivision engages in an activity |
|
|
prohibited by Subsection (a), a taxpayer or resident of the |
|
|
political subdivision is entitled to appropriate injunctive relief |
|
|
to prevent further activity prohibited by that subsection and |
|
|
further payment of public funds related to that activity. |
|
|
(c) A taxpayer or resident who prevails in an action under |
|
|
Subsection (b) is entitled to recover from the political |
|
|
subdivision the taxpayer's or resident's reasonable attorney's fees |
|
|
and costs incurred in bringing the action. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |