AUSTIN—Sandra Bland's unnecessary jailing and tragic death gained statewide and national attention. Bland, a black, 28-year-old civil rights activist was found dead in Waller County Jail three days after being arrested in 2015.

Bland was pulled over for a routine traffic stop, but was arrested when an argument with Department of Public Safety Trooper Brian Encinia escalated, who was found to be in violation of DPS procedure.

The House Committee on County Affairs, chaired by Houston Democratic Representative Garnet F. Coleman, held five hearings to review and discuss the facts, circumstances, and policies that played a factor in the death of Bland. He wrote and filed House Bill 2702, known as the Sandra Bland Act, aiming to improve and correct Texas' criminal justice system to prevent future tragedies like Bland's.

The original House Bill 2702 as filed is the gold standard for criminal justice reform, but could not get past the Governor and Lieutenant Governor's objections. Senate Bill 1849, filed as a companion by Senator Whitmire, was trimmed down to ease opposition from conservative leadership. It passed the Senate 31-0 and was sent to the House where it was voted favorably 139-0.

"I would have preferred a more robust bill, but this remains a valuable criminal justice and mental health reform bill," said Representative Coleman.

The Sandra Bland Act is now on its way to the Governor's desk.

The House Committee on County Affairs found it vital that law enforcement begin using de-escalation tactics in all interactions with the public. The Sandra Bland Act ensures de-escalation training for officers to keep both law enforcement and the public safe.

There were also concerns regarding the investigation of Bland's death, which was ruled a suicide. In response, the Sandra Bland Act requires outside agencies to conduct investigations of jail deaths to allow for more transparency and remove potential bias.

The Sandra Bland Act ensures that the data Texas collects during traffic stops and within jails is robust, clear, and accurate and requires agencies to do internal reviews of the data they collect to determine if improvements can be made and imposes stiffer fines for non-compliance with data requirements.

Representative Coleman is also a joint sponsor with Representative Senfronia Thompson of Senate Bill 30 by Senator West, which requires all high school students, future drivers, and law enforcement to learn civilians' rights, the duties of law enforcement, and proper behavior during interactions.

Together Senate Bill 30 and the Sandra Bland Act will act as the foundational policies for continuing work on criminal justice reform.

These are the Texas House Committee Chairs that participated in the passage of the Sandra Bland Act and Senate Bill 30 alongside the Texas House Speaker Joe Straus who was instrumental in the passage.