County jail changes, pension reform

A federal judge in Houston has ruled that the Harris County bail system has been shafting poor criminal defendants for decades and must dramatically change. As it turns out, less than ten percent of people often facing misdemeanor charges are released on public recognizance bond, leaving the indigent to languish in jail at taxpayer expense until their cases is eventually resolved.

Why did this take so long?


The Texas state Senate has approved a reform plan for the troubled employee pension plans in Houston with two critical additions -- approval by voters and a provision that all new employees move to 401K retirement plans if the city's financial health declines.