The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
A Texas Tribune study analyzed 560 cases from four Texas counties to shine a light on how the controversial practice of civil asset forfeiture is used by law enforcement. Full Story
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The bill would have required domestic violence survivors to be notified when offenders are released on bond. But the Republican governor nixed the legislation over a provision by Democratic state Rep. Poncho Nevárez that would have delayed a West Texas waste facility's increase in state fees. Full Story
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It's the third policy announcement from the Democratic presidential candidate. Full Story
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Negotiators in the House and Senate couldn't come to an agreement on a bill addressing how Texas handles capital murder defendants who may be intellectually disabled. In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing people with intellectual disabilities amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. Full Story
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Behind closed doors, a joint Senate and House committee killed a measure that would require police officers to explain why they arrest someone for fine-only offenses, otherwise the case would be dismissed. Criminal justice reform advocates considered the issue a priority following the arrest of Sandra Bland. Full Story
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State Rep. Garnet Coleman suggested that the newly released video showing some of Bland's confrontation with a state trooper before her death may have been buried in a “data dump” of information given to lawyers and lawmakers. Full Story
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Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said a bill that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana was "dead on arrival" in the Senate. But his party's platform supports marijuana decriminalization. So what gives? Full Story
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A bill to kill one program that critics say traps low-income drivers in a cycle of debt, is nearing the governor's desk, but bills to reform the similar Omni program look all but dead as the legislative session winds down. Full Story
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Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot ignited a firestorm of controversy when he announced he wouldn't prosecute some low-level crimes, including certain theft offenses. But he's among many prosecutors turning their focus away from nonviolent offenses. Full Story
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Consideration of the bill comes more than a year after a gunman killed 26 in a Sutherland Springs church. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has expressed wariness to expanding the Compassionate Use Program, but the bill's Senate sponsor said Patrick helped craft the version that cleared a key hurdle Friday. Full Story
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As lawmakers in Austin work to pass a sweeping school safety bill, many Santa Fe survivors and their loved ones say they’re focused less on what’s happening at the Capitol and more on what can be done to rebuild and uplift their community. Full Story
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The bill to end the unpopular program, which adds annual surcharges on top of traffic fines — and prompts the suspension of millions of driver's licenses — is headed for Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. If he signs it, pending surcharges will be dropped. Full Story
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Texas has been fighting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's ban on the state's attempted import of lethal injection drugs. But the Justice Department says federal law doesn't give the FDA oversight. Full Story
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A measure to limit arrests for misdemeanors that only result in fines initially got House approval. Then it failed on a subsequent vote amid what some say was confusion over what the bill would do. Lawmakers tried to revive it Friday evening — after several lawmakers had left the chamber — but that attempt also failed. Full Story
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The bill addresses many of the conditions of the state's incarcerated women. It would also require the department to offer up to 10 free feminine hygiene products to women each day. Full Story
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The prison system's existing doses were all set to expire before the state's five currently scheduled executions. See our updated lethal drug tracker for the latest movement in the state's supply. Full Story
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The bill was one of several bail reform measures filed after federal court rulings, jail deaths and a state trooper's murder drew attention to Texas' pretrial jailing practices. A late addition to limit who could be released from jail at no cost was removed by lawmakers Friday. Full Story
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Under the measure, defendants who have active psychotic symptoms of certain mental illnesses at the time of the crime would be ineligible for capital punishment. The bill now heads to the more conservative Senate. Full Story
One of the big bills of the session — a sales- for property-tax swap — was put on ice this week. Lots of other bills are ready for their post-session burials, too, but keep your eyes open. In the Texas Legislature, dead legislation has a way of coming back to life. Full Story
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