Right On Crime, a national criminal justice campaign of the Texas Public Policy Foundation focused on conservative criminal justice reform, testified in favor of four criminal justice reform bills during a recent hearing before the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee of the 89th Texas Legislature.
Texas Director and Chief of Staff Nikki Pressley spoke in support of House Bill 2507, known as a Clean Slate bill. She emphasized that the bill is focused solely on improving the record-sealing process and does not expand eligibility for sealing. “This bill does not completely destroy the record; law enforcement, courts, and over 30 agencies and entities still have access to the sealed record,” said Pressley. “The bill allows court resources to be used more efficiently, eliminates fees and costly assistance to navigate the legal red tape that strains judicial and individual resources.” The bill aims to modernize the system and ensure that individuals who qualify can move on with their lives without unnecessary bureaucratic burdens.
Right On Crime also backed House Bill 200, also known as the Second Look bill, which addresses parole eligibility for juvenile offenders. Texas currently has some of the harshest guidelines in the nation. “Texas has some of the harshest parole eligibility guidelines for juvenile offenders and fails to provide individuals with a meaningful opportunity to re-enter society,” said Pressley. She urged lawmakers to align Texas with the majority of states that have updated their laws to reflect what research tells us about adolescent development. “Young people are likely to be rehabilitated long before their current eligibility date,” she noted, “and HB 200 not only continues to protect public safety, but also has the potential to save Texas taxpayers over 1.5 million dollars for each individual” who demonstrates maturity and rehabilitation and is deemed eligible by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Ross Jackson, policy analyst for Right On Crime, offered compelling testimony on two bills—House Bill 3664 and House Bill 3362—both aimed at reforming the grand jury process. “Prosecutors have tremendous power over how evidence is presented in grand jury proceedings,” Jackson stated. “This can be used to legitimize prosecutions motivated by objectives other than true justice.” He voiced the organization’s strong support for measures that bring increased transparency and introduce proper checks on prosecutorial power.
“Though grand juries in our state have historically been an integral insurant of due process from overzealous prosecution, they have heavily tilted in favor of the state and do not provide adequate protections for accused individuals,” said Jackson while testifying for HB 3362.
Across all four bills, Right On Crime’s message is clear: Texas lawmakers have an opportunity to reduce government overreach, protect individual rights, and ensure that the state’s justice system reflects transparency, accountability, and redemption.
See Pressley’s and Jackson’s full testimony here.
Learn more about these issues and other conservative criminal justice initiatives at RightOnCrime.com.