Restorative justice
Texas bishops express gratitude for the Travis County 200th District Court and Texas Supreme Court action to halt execution of Robert Roberson, call for reform of justice system
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops has issued the following statement regarding the stay of execution by the Texas Supreme Court for Robert Roberson: We are grateful to the Texas Supreme Court and the Travis County 200th District Court for stopping the execution of Robert Roberson tonight. This action recognizes the authority of the Texas…
Read MoreBishops plea for stay of execution for Robert Roberson
The Texas bishops plea for a stay of execution for Robert Roberson and call for prayer for 24 hours as we await his execution. The justice system has failed in this case, but Robert’s life can be saved. We thank the Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, including Joe Moody, Jeff Leach, Brian Harrison and Lacey…
Read MoreBishop Olson testifies in support of SB8, parental choice
My name is Bishop Michael Olson and I serve as the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth that covers 28 counties in North Texas. I am here to testify on behalf of the Diocese of Fort Worth and the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops. We register initial support for the committee substitute for…
Read MorePromote Criminal Justice Reform: Support HB 1340
My name is Rachana Chhin, and I am the Legislative Counsel of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops testifying in support of HB 1340. The TCCB support criminal justice reform that provides for compassionate treatment of prisoners, responds to the needs of victims of crime, and encourages rehabilitation and forgiveness for those re-entering society. HB…
Read MoreReview Sentencing of Juveniles: Testimony in Support of HB 686
My name is Rachana Chhin, and I am the Legislative Counsel of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops testifying in support of HB 686. The Texas bishops support criminal justice reform that provides for compassionate treatment of prisoners, responds to the needs of victims of crime, and encourages rehabilitation and forgiveness for those re-entering society.…
Read MoreCriminal Justice Reform: Testimony in Support of HB 252
My name is Jennifer Allmon, and I am the Executive Director of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops testifying in support of HB 252. The Texas bishops support criminal justice reform that provides for compassionate treatment of prisoners, responds to the needs of victims of crime, and encourages rehabilitation and forgiveness for those re-entering society.…
Read MoreCapital Jury Instructions HB 252 (Moody) | SB 189 (Lucio)
Capital Jury instructions should be truthful The current criminal justice system has both the tools for life imprisonment without execution and has significant flaws in sentencing practices that undermine the ability for the public to trust that every convicted person on death row in Texas is actually guilty. A capitol jury has a tremendous burden…
Read MoreChaplain Access to Prisoners HB 1579 (White) | SB 654 (Bettencourt/Lucio/Springer)
The TCCB supports criminal justice reform that provides for compassionate treatment of prisoners, responds to the needs of victims of crime, and encourages rehabilitation and forgiveness for those re-entering society. Bills filed this session address both the overall need for prisoners to have access to spiritual support and the specific concerns of those awaiting capital…
Read MoreSine Die Report for the 86th Legislature
Sine Die Report on Priority Bills in the 86th Legislative Session Educate: Throughout the 2019 session, we educated and mobilized the laity to take an active role in supporting the bishops’ agenda. Specifically, we have published online briefs—available here—of the topics on our legislative agenda to explain Church teaching and how to improve state law.…
Read MoreHB 874: Don’t criminalize those who default on usurious loans
Testimony by Rachana Chhin The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops support HB 874. This bill prevents criminal changes or threats of criminal charges for payday or auto-title loan defaults. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure that consumers who default on usurious loans are not faced with criminal charges. St. Vincent de Paul and Catholic…
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