POLICING

Judge Lina Hidalgo announced Tuesday another public safety proposal designed to reduce crime in the most violence-prone areas of unincorporated Harris County.

It’s probably a word you’ve never heard before, but it’s not made up: A Solutionary is someone who recognizes a problem or injustice in society, and comes up with creative and innovative ways to tackle those inequities, thus making the world a better place, one step at a time.

HOUSTON – Earlier this week, the House passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a victory for the Floyd family. It has been nine months since Houston native George Floyd was killed by a Minnesota police officer, and his family is still in a lot of pain. I go to sleep sometimes,” said George Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd. You just have to be the change, force it and make the change,” Philonise Floyd said. “We say his name, ‘George Floyd.’ We say his name, ‘George Floyd,’” attorney Ben Crump said.

HOUSTON – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed his back-the-blue pledge in Houston on Wednesday as he continued calls to stop efforts aimed at cutting police budgets. “It’s a commitment to fight any efforts at any level to defund the police,” Abbott said. Abbott said he has already called on the state legislature to pass laws that would prevent money from being diverted from law enforcement agencies. Texas law is crystal clear: bail is set by judge, not prosecutors.

Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Abbott, Patrick and Bonnen will be joined by Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, Republican state Sens. Austin was the first to drastically cut police department funding. San Antonios proposed budget for 2021 increases overall police funding by $8 million, but cuts overtime and funds health and violence prevention programs. In Dallas, the proposed 2021 budget includes a minor increase in police funding and $3.2 million for social safety net resources.

HOUSTON The Greater Houston Coalition for Justice will renew the groups calls for police reform during a news conference Monday. The group, which has recently been calling for the release of body camera video in the fatal officer-involved shooting of Nicolas Chavez, will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. In a news release about the event, the group said they want an independent police review board with subpoena powers and clear policies regarding the handling and release of police video. Click2Houston.com plans to offer a livestream of the event.