Front Porch Politics Talks COVID-19 and Criminal Justice Reform With PBT



Front Porch Politics talks COVID-19 and Criminal Justice Reform with PBT member Ken W. Good.  You can listen to the podcast below.

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Linda Lois Traylor Tough But Fair Bondsman Passes Away

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Linda Lois Traylor, born August 17, 1947 in Houston, TX, passed away on August 21, 2025 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 78. Linda was a beloved matriarch, a successful business owner for over 40 years, and a woman with a work ethic like no other. Tough but fair, she lived life with strength, humor, and generosity. Her quick wit and legendary joke-telling could light up any room. She believed in working hard and playing hard. She found joy in fishing and glamping by the lakes in her RV, as well as trips to the casino with friends. Cooking was her love language, and her southern-style dishes were cherished by all who gathered at her table. She entered and won many cooking contests, but her greatest reward was sharing meals with family and friends. Above all, Linda’s greatest pride and joy was her family. She survives and is deeply cherished by her children, David Yokem, Tammie Little and Michael Yokem. Her grandchildren Cody Yokem and wife Sarah, Brandon Little and wife Ti...
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Harris County DA Blames Rising Crime on Houston Judges; 14 of Her Prosecutors Are Running Against Them

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  On a winter afternoon nine months into the pandemic, Harris County district attorney Kim Ogg held a Zoom meeting with felony judges and prosecutors to discuss the backlog of cases caused by COVID-19 shutdowns at the downtown Houston courthouse. But the backlog wasn’t the only issue to come up that day. For years, the Democratic DA had been publicly criticizing local judges who set what she deemed insufficiently high bonds for defendants accused of violent crimes. Now her office would deliver a direct warning. First assistant district attorney David Mitcham, Ogg’s top lieutenant, informed the judges that there would be a “reckoning” if they didn’t start setting higher bonds. “My reaction was like, ‘Wow, that was bold,’ ” said Joe Vinas, the president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, who was on the call representing the criminal defense bar. “One of the judges asked if Mitcham was threatening him.” Many in Houston’s legal community have thought back to that moment...
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Summary of the 2025 Texas Legislative Session- Bail Matters

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  This is a summary of the bail bills or bills that may relate to the bail industry that were enacted in the 2025 Texas Legislative Session. HB 1522-  This bill amended the Texas Open Meetings Act to change the notice requirement from 72 hours to 3 business days.  The biggest impact of this change will impact Bail Bond Board meetings.  The notice now must be posted 3 business days before the meeting.  A weekend cannot be counted in that time period. To see the final bill CLICK HERE .  HB 1778- This bill created Section 43.032 of the Texas Penal Code with creates a new offense "Continuous Promotion of Prostitution." Additionally, the bill amends article 17.081 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure to add 43.032 to the list of offenses.  This section requires that for the list of offenses, the bail bond must include the address and driver's license number for the defendant and the surety.  Additionally, article 17.465 (b) of the Texas Code of Crim...
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Minnesota Freedom Fund Surreders to Reality- Stops Posting Bail

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  The Minnesota nonprofit is shifting its focus away from directly posting pretrial bail and bonds for criminal suspects. The decision will go into place on June 1.   The nonprofit was founded in 2016, and following the death of George Floyd in 2020, the group received $42 million in donations from all over the world. Since then, the group has supported thousands of people by investing $33.2 million directly into “freeing people from cages and resourcing organizations in the fight for racial justice.” * * * * The organization said they can’t sustain bailing and bonding their way out of the “harmful systems of pretrial detention and immigration detention,” and need to utilize their resources to push for positive change. The executive director of Minnesota Freedom Fund, Elizer Darris, released the following statement: “Today, Minnesota Freedom Fund announced a strategic shift away from paying pretrial bails and immigration bonds . . . " To see more CLICK HERE .
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Amendment to Article 17.19 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure

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HB 2697- This bill amended article 17.19 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.  Article 17.19 authorizes a surety or bail bondsman to file a request for a warrant with the magistrate or the trial court based upon some action on the part of the defendant.   The existing statute required the surety or bail bondsman to give notice of the request to the defense attorney if the defendant was represented by counsel.  That notice must comply with Rule 21a of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.  Further, the statute requires that  the affidavit set out certain matters regarding the defendant including the reason why a warrant is needed. Section 17.19 states that if the request for a warrant meets the statutory requirements the trial court or magistrate must or shall issue a warrant of arrest for the defendant.   If the trial court refuses to issue a warrant, then the surety or bail bondsman has an affirmative defense to any subsequent failure to appear...
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