Criminal justice reform issues are often discussed concerning the needed impact on inner-city populations. However rural areas of the nation, often represented by conservative members of Congress, are also profoundly impacted by a system that prevents rehabilitated offenders from gaining jobs, education and housing.

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic collided with a police violence epidemic during the first half of 2020 to illuminate long standing and complex disadvantages for Black Americans.

The 87th legislature of the State of Texas began on January 12, 2021, and concluded on May 31, 2021. Texas lawmakers convened under circumstances that were particularly unique. First, the legislative session began just six days after the historic riot at the nation’s capital in Washington, DC, in which right-leaning protestors stormed the Capitol. Many critics asserted that the actions of protestors were fueled by rhetoric by the outgoing President of the United States. Additionally, the session opened while the State of Texas and most of the nation were under restrictive measures due to the COVID-19 shutdown. The handling of COVID-19 was highly politicized, with conservative and liberal lawmakers taking vastly different approaches in handling the pandemic. It is within this larger context that the Center for Justice Research entered the arena of this legislative session, given current events and with the end goal of providing a deeper understanding and analysis of forthcoming legislative bills to lawmakers across the state.