| Old | New | Differences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 89R11665 DNC-F | |
| 2 | 2 | By: Smithee H.B. No. 76 | |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| 4 | 4 | ||
| 5 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 6 | ||
| 7 | 7 | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | |
| 8 | 8 | AN ACT | |
| 9 | 9 | relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds to | |
| 10 | 10 | pay bail bonds. | |
| 11 | 11 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | |
| 12 | 12 | SECTION 1. Chapter 140, Local Government Code, is amended | |
| 13 | 13 | by adding Section 140.014 to read as follows: | |
| 14 | 14 | Sec. 140.014. RESTRICTION ON USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS BY | |
| 15 | 15 | POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS TO PAY BAIL BONDS. (a) A political | |
| 16 | 16 | subdivision may not spend public funds to pay a nonprofit | |
| 17 | 17 | organization that accepts and uses donations from the public to | |
| 18 | 18 | deposit money with a court in the amount of a defendant's bail bond. | |
| 19 | 19 | (b) If a political subdivision engages in an activity | |
| 20 | 20 | prohibited by Subsection (a), a taxpayer or resident of the | |
| 21 | 21 | political subdivision is entitled to appropriate injunctive relief | |
| 22 | 22 | to prevent further activity prohibited by that subsection and | |
| 23 | 23 | further payment of public funds related to that activity. | |
| 24 | 24 | (c) A taxpayer or resident who prevails in an action under | |
| 25 | 25 | Subsection (b) is entitled to recover from the political | |
| 26 | 26 | subdivision the taxpayer's or resident's reasonable attorney's fees | |
| 27 | 27 | and costs incurred in bringing the action. | |
| 28 | 28 | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |