Legislative Updates

Each week during Texas legislative sessions, TDCAA recaps the most important news and events. Look to this page for current and past issues of TDCAA’s Legislative Updates.

For information concerning legislation filed during the 89th Legislative Session, visit the state legislature’s web site or e-mail Hector M. Valle, Director of Governmental Relations, or call him at (512) 474-2436.

Updates

TDCAA Legislative Update: Bail Reform Alert!

December 8, 2025

The Constitutional Amendments are live! This is not a drill.

The Governor proclaimed the results of the Constitutional Amendment Special Election held on November 4, 2025, to be tabulated on November 19, 2025. That means that Proposition 3 (S.J.R. 5), by Huffman (R-Houston) is now law and allows judges to deny bail to people accused of certain violent crimes committed on or after November 19, 2025. Please be sure to alert your judges and your prosecutors. 

There is no announcement on the Secretary of State’s website as of this email nor any press release or other mention of the proclamation on the Governor’s website. Shame on us for waiting for an actual announcement! Instead, the news was buried in the latest December 5, 2025 issue of the Texas Register, which you can access here. Another place to find the proclamation is deep in the Legislative Reference Library at this link of official gubernatorial documents. Please use the declaration for proof in case your judge requests evidence of the law being live. 

We hope this belated alert is helpful. Also, we are always here to help with any questions. Please let us know if your office uses this new law and how it goes. We will be tracking to report if any updates are needed for next legislative session.