Texas votes to restrict when judges can grant bail to violent offenders

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Published  November 4, 2025 10:38pm CST
FOX Local

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The Brief

    • Texans voted for Proposition 3, restricting when judges can grant bail to suspects accused of violent felonies.
    • SJR 5 allows judges to deny bail in cases like murder, kidnapping or sexual assault.
    • The measure also requires judges who grant bail in such cases to issue written justifications.

Texans have elected to restrict the circumstances in which people accused of felonies can be granted bail.

SJR 5 lays out scenarios for suspects charged with murder, capital murder or certain aggravated assault, kidnapping, robbery, sexual assault, indecency with a child and human trafficking to be denied bail.

Ballot language:

"The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony."

Judges that grant bail to those suspects must prepare a written order explaining the justification. 

The Source: Information in this report came from Texas Legislature Online.

ElectionCrime and Public SafetyTexasPoliticsTexas Politics