HB 319 — Paying Counties for Pre-Trial Confinement

Texas would pay counties for the people they hold before trial.

By LeRoy Nellis — Tracked from public agency records

HB 319 would would pay counties for the people they hold before trial.

County jails are where most people who die in custody are held before any conviction. A bill that changes jail rules can change what a family is told, how fast a death is investigated, and whether the record is public.

What the caption says, word for word

The official caption reads: “Relating to the compensation to a county for certain persons confined in a county jail pending trial.” The author listed in the Legislature report is Johnson. Last action is listed as H Filed on 11/09/2026. That is the whole record in the report; anything beyond those words is not in this summary.

What it would mean

In plain words, the caption says the state would create rules around the subject named in the caption — not a funding level, not a staffing count, and not a deadline. Only the history page will say whether any of that becomes law. The caption itself: “Relating to the compensation to a county for certain persons confined in a county jail pending trial.”

Author: Johnson. Filed: 11/09/2026.

What to watch next

The bill has only been filed. Filing is not passage. The Legislature history page at the link below carries the current status, and it is the only place to check whether the bill moves. Watch that page before telling anyone what the bill does.

Sources: Texas Legislature, Today's Filed Bills in the House (11/09/2026), HB 319 caption and author; Bill history for HB 319.

All Texas House Bills in this section

Full bill text (Introduced)

90R896 LHC-D By: Johnson H.B. No. 319 relating to the compensation to a county for certain persons confined in a county jail pending trial.

SECTION 1. Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended by adding Article 17.54 to read as follows: Art. 17.54. COMPENSATION TO COUNTY FOR DEFENDANT NOT RELEASED ON BAIL. If a defendant charged with an offense punishable as a felony is not released on bail pending trial, the state shall compensate the county for the cost of confining the defendant in the county jail pending trial.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to compensation to a county for the cost of a defendant's confinement that occurs on or after January 1, 2028, regardless of whether the defendant is confined before, on, or after that date.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2027.

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