89R11665 DNC-F
By: Smithee H.B. No. 76
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.