Texas Legislature’s 87th Session: House Bill 20

Introduction

Texas Legislature’s 87th session ended in an eventful night in May 2021. House Bill 20 (HB 20) is a GOP priority bill that failed to pass (Astudillo Carla and Texas Tribune Staff, 2021). The statute required offenders suspected of committing violent crimes and those previously accused of such crimes to pay bail only in cash.

Discussion

The bill also restricted charitable organizations from posting bail bonds for such lawbreakers. Despite the Senate signing off the new version that the Republicans renegotiated, Democrats walked out before midnight and broke the quorum, preventing the voting measure (Astudillo Carla and Texas Tribune Staff, 2021). Consequently, the bill was presented late, leading to its failure. However, Governor Abbot said that it would be included in the upcoming special sitting of the Texas Legislature.

HB 20 was not needed because it would lead to mass detention of individuals based on their economic statuses. HB 20 would have been discriminatory, as it would lead to the incarceration of poor people who cannot come up with the cash on short notice. Most individuals who cannot afford to pay cash rely on charitable organizations. However, HB 20 sought to restrict such organizations from participating in bail bonds, which would limit poor individuals from accessing freedom. HB 20 was not needed because it did not add value to the existing bail legislation but instead became discriminatory.

While lobbying is a positive factor in a democracy, politicians can exploit it to obstruct policies that contradict their best interests. The effect of lobbyists on the two parties during its 87th legislative session was evident in various ways. For example, in 2017, lobbyists thwarted efforts to reform the bail bill, an indication of the immense influence that lobbyists have on the legislative process.

Conclusion

Republicans and Democrats relied on lobbyists’ suppositions and claims to design the reforms on the bail bill. Lobbying in Texas has its benefits, as it is used as an educational tool to create awareness about competing interests (Mosley, Weiner-Davis & Anasti, 2020). Both parties can use lobbyists to inform the public about the effects a bill would have on their lives.

References

Astudillo Carla and Texas Tribune Staff. (2021). The 2021 legislative session is over. Here are the big bills that passed – and the ones that failed. Web.

Mosley, J. E., Weiner-Davis, T., & Anasti, T. (2020). Advocacy and lobbying. In The Routledge companion to nonprofit management (pp. 335-348). Routledge.