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HB 2247

Relating to the creation of a specialty court for individuals who commit family violence; imposing fees for participation.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Josey Garcia and 1 co-sponsor

Texas HB 2247 creates specialized family violence courts with mandatory participant fees to fund operations and potentially reduce offender recidivism through targeted judicial intervention.

Referred to Corrections
#criminalrecords(s0008) #countygovernment--general(i0096) #courts--general(i0160) #family--familyviolence(i0353)
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Bill Summary · HB 2247

Legislative bill overview

HB 2247 would establish specialized courts to handle cases involving individuals who commit family violence offenses in Texas. The bill includes provisions for imposing fees on participants in this specialty court system, likely to fund court operations or related services.

Why is this important

Family violence courts aim to reduce recidivism through specialized judicial oversight, treatment coordination, and accountability measures tailored to domestic abuse cases. The fee structure directly affects accessibility and creates funding mechanisms, but may create barriers for lower-income offenders or victims' families depending on implementation details.

Potential points of contention

  • Fee burden on defendants: Participation fees could disadvantage low-income offenders and create unequal access to the specialized court option versus traditional prosecution
  • Funding vs. accessibility trade-off: While fees generate revenue for court operations, they may deter participation in what could be rehabilitative alternatives to incarceration
  • Victim considerations: The bill's focus on offender accountability through fees raises questions about victim restitution prioritization and whether fees might compete with compensation to harmed parties

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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