What We're Reading
News that caught our attention or cited the Texas Justice Initiative from across the Lone Star State and beyond.
Bill to reform reporting of deaths in custody faces law enforcement opposition
Published on April 21, 2021David Barer of KXAN reports on a Texas House committee hearing for a bill that would change the penalties for agencies that fail to file reports as required by law within 30 days of a death in custody. TJI's executive director testified in support of House Bill 2901.
First Responders Pandemic Care Act passes Senate unanimously
Published on April 21, 2021More than 100 local, state and federal law enforcement officers have died in Texas as a result of COVID-19. A bill that would count deaths of first responders related to the novel coronavirus gained unanimous support in the Texas Senate, KCBD reports.
Lost in Lockup: Last year, prisoners in Bexar County and across Texas died in record numbers
Published on March 23, 2021Sanford Nowlin reports on the record number of in-custody deaths that took place in 2020 in the Bexar County Jail – a trend that was unfortunately seen in lockups throughout the state.
Texas lifts yearlong ban on prison visitation
Published on March 9, 2021Texas prisons will allow in-person visitation again, reported Jolie McCullough of the Texas Tribune, after Gov. Greg Abbott announced that other pandemic-related restrictions have been lifted. In the year that prisons were closed, about 300 incarcerated people and dozens of employees died of COVID-19 and thousands got sick.
Police transparency bills would close dead-suspect loophole, reform death reporting law
Published on March 5, 2021Josh Hinkle and David Barer report on Texas lawmakers' latest efforts at the state capitol to tighten up two laws that address transparency and accountability in law enforcement. One of the efforts is a bill that would add teeth to the requirement for law enforcement agencies to file reports when someone dies in their custody.