A new Texas law prohibiting personal recognizance (PR) bonds for certain offenses may conflict with a federal consent decree governing misdemeanor bail in Harris County, and an attorney has warned that judges and magistrates who adhere to the state law could be found in contempt of court and face criminal charges.
Texas Senate Bill (SB) 9, authored by state Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), took effect on September 1 and added to a list of crimes for which hearing officers may not grant defendants a PR bond, which requires no cash payment. Three of those crimes — unlawful possession of a firearm, violation of a family violence protective order, or making a terroristic threat — are misdemeanors.
