LIVE: Texas bail reform package signing | FOX 4 News

Gov. Greg Abbott and several other Texas leaders are in Houston to sign a new bail reform package into law.

The Texas Legislature passed nearly a dozen bills setting new rules on how bail is set in the state and when it can be denied.

The new laws will outline when a judge must deny bail for violent crimes, when a judge must require a cash bond and prevent municipalities from using taxpayer dollars to bail defendants out of jail.

Senate Joint Resolution 5 will require judges to automatically deny bail for violent crimes like murder, rape or human trafficking, "unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the defendant will appear in court and not endanger the community."

Judges who release violent criminals under the new system would be required to explain the decision in writing. Prosecutors would be able to challenge the judges’ bail decisions.

The amendment will be put on ballots in November for a public vote.

Senate Bill 40 would prevent municipalities from using taxpayer dollars to bail defendants out of jail.

The bill helps ensure that taxpayer funds are used for public safety expenses, like law enforcement, state prosecutors and jail operations.

What they're saying:

Critics of the bill argue that it’s not needed as there is no evidence that public funds have been used to pay nonprofit bail organizations in the state.

Supporters say the bill will create a legal boundary to prevent it from happening in the state.

Senate Bill 9 would prevent a judge from granting a cashless personal bond for certain offenses.

Under the bill, the state could appeal bail decisions if prosecutors felt the amount was insufficient. The rule would keep the defendant in jail for up to 20 days while the appeal is considered.

Several other bills will have an impact on Texas courts and the bail system.

House Bill 2697: House Bill 2697 will require bail bondmen to notify prosecuting attorneys when they relinquish responsibility for a defendant's bond. Under the law, bail bondsmen would need to inform the attorneys before filing the affidavit of intent with the court.

House Bill 2073: House Bill 2073 will increase the penalty for violating protective orders or bond conditions while carrying a deadly weapon.

House Bill 2492: House Bill 2492 changes how long a person can be held after being arrested for a family violence incident. Under current laws, arresting agencies can hold someone for up to four hours. The new law would require a four-hour hold after bond if there's probable cause to believe the violence would continue if the person was immediately released.

Senate Bill 1020: Senate Bill 1020 requires bond companies to inform attorneys and the court when someone violates their bond conditions. SB 1020 would require the bond company to report if an electronic monitoring device was tampered with.

Senate Bill 1021: A person guilty of stalking would not be eligible for court-ordered community supervision under Senate Bill 1021.

Currently, only capital murder suspects are exempt from bonds.

Why you should care:

Because bail is written into the Texas Constitution, it requires a constitutional amendment to alter. That requires a two-thirds vote in both the Texas House and Senate.

Under the Texas constitution, bail is a right for almost everyone arrested. The exceptions are people charged with capital murder, some people charged with certain repeat felonies or certain instances where bail has been violated in the past.

FOX 4 News is a FOX-owned station serving Dallas-Fort Worth and all of North Texas.