People who have been arrested will often struggle to determine how they can get released. When a judge sets a high amount of bail, a person and their family may be unsure about how they will be able to pay this amount. While a bail bondsman can provide assistance and pay bail on behalf of a person, the cost of a bail bond is usually 10 percent of the total amount of bail. For high amounts of bail or for those who do not have significant financial resources, even coming up with 10 percent may be difficult. In some cases, people may turn to charitable organizations for help, but due to recent law changes in Texas, they may be unsure about whether this will be an option.
Texas Law and Charitable Bail Organizations
The Texas legislature passed a bail reform bill in 2021 that affected many people who are arrested and who are seeking a release from police custody. Originally, the bill that was proposed by the Texas Senate sought to limit the cases where bail funds or other “charitable bail organizations” could post bail on people’s behalf. However, the final version of the bill removed these restrictions, and people can generally receive assistance from these organizations when needed.
The law detailed the requirements that organizations will need to meet to be able to accept public donations and use the money raised to post bail on behalf of defendants. These include:
...