Texas lawmakers push forward bills to limit âdefundingâ police departments
Texas lawmakers push forward bills to limit âdefundingâ police departments
In the final days of the legislative session, Texas lawmakers pushed forward two bills to address police funding.
DALLAS - In the final days of the legislative session, Texas lawmakers pushed forward two bills to address police funding.
One could penalize cities that cut public safety budgets. Another puts those budget cuts up for a public vote before they can be enacted.
The governor tweeted on Monday that he plans to sign them.
Two bills are very close to getting Gov. Greg Abbott s signature that would take aim at the calls to defund police during last year’s protests.
People held candles at Yates High School in Houston last year during a vigil for George Floyd, who died one year ago Tuesday. Only one narrow piece of Texasâ George Floyd Act has passed out of both the House and Senate during a legislative session that ends Monday. Credit: Contributor
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A year ago, longtime Houston resident George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott promised his death would not be in vain.
Weeks after the Black man was killed, the governor said that he was committed to working with Floydâs family and suggested a possible George Floyd Act âto make sure that we prevent police brutality like this from happening in the future in Texas.â
Narrowly targeted pieces of Texas’ George Floyd Act like restricting chokeholds and requiring officers to provide first aid are expected to pass. But the Act itself and many other related reforms have failed to progress during the legislative session that ends Monday.
Narrowly targeted pieces of Texas’ George Floyd Act like restricting chokeholds and requiring officers to provide first aid are expected to pass. But the Act itself and many other related reforms have failed to progress during the legislative session that ends Monday.