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Montgomery County DA Brett Ligon backs Gov. Greg Abbott's bail reform, citing public-safety concerns
Summary
Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon said he supports Gov. Greg Abbott's bail reform, arguing that judges in larger cities sometimes release repeat offenders on bond and those individuals then move into Montgomery County, where he says they cause crime and victims.
Brett Ligon, the Montgomery County district attorney, said he supports Gov. Greg Abbott's bail reform and argued it will help keep communities safer.
Ligon opened by identifying Montgomery County as "1 of the fastest growing communities in the entire nation," saying rapid growth contributes to his office's exposure to crime. He said his office is "no strangers to crime" and that decisions by judges in larger cities can have local consequences.
Ligon described a pattern he attributes to some urban bond decisions: when judges grant bond to people "already on a bond or a repeat felon," he said, those individuals often "come into our jurisdictions and they create havoc and they cause crime and they create more victims in our communities." He used that claim to explain his support for the governor's policy.
"That's why I'm in support of Governor Abbott's bail reform," Ligon said. "What it's hoping to do and what I believe that it will do is help keep not only my community safe, but your community as well."
The remarks in this transcript are a statement of support and do not record any formal action, vote, or proposed local ordinance. The speaker did not provide specific statistics, references to particular cases, or procedural steps for implementing or enforcing changes at the county level.
No additional speakers, motions, or votes are recorded in this transcript.
