HB 738 — Civil Detention Standards and Death Reporting
Texas would set minimum standards for civil detention facilities, with inspections and death and serious injury reporting.
HB 738 would would set minimum standards for civil detention facilities, with inspections and death and serious injury reporting.
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 minimum standards for civil detention facilities in this state, inspection of those facilities on the request of a county or municipality, and reporting of deaths and serious injuries occurring at those facilities.” The author listed in the Legislature report is Perez, Vincent. 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 minimum standards for civil detention facilities in this state, inspection of those facilities on the request of a county or municipality, and reporting of deaths and serious injuries occurring at those facilities.”
Author: Perez, Vincent. 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 738 caption and author; Bill history for HB 738.