This bill would have limited the use of arrest for fine-only offenses in Texas. Existing legislation provides that police officers may issue tickets instead of arresting people who commit Class C misdemeanors punishable by fine only, and this bill would mandate that officers issue tickets instead of arrests in that scenario. The bill also provides that judges may not issue arrest warrants or impose additional fines for failure to appear at a court hearing for fine-only offenses. Finally, the bill would have prevented judges from incarcerating people for failure to pay a fine or for contempt.
You can read the full text of the bill here.
Primary sponsor(s): James White
Status: Failed