Governor Abbott Vetoes House Bill 184 (84R)
Pursuant to Article IV, Section 14, of the Texas Constitution, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, do hereby disapprove of and veto House Bill No. 184 as passed by the Eighty-Fourth Texas Legislature, Regular Session, because of the following objections:
Courts of inquiry are criminal proceedings initiated by a local district judge. Current law appropriately requires the costs of these proceedings to be borne by the county where they take place, just as the costs of other criminal proceedings are largely borne by counties. Because the decision to conduct a court of inquiry rests with a local district judge, it makes sense for the costs of the proceeding to be borne at the local level. House Bill 184 would inappropriately shift these costs to the State in certain cases.
Since the Eighty-Fourth Texas Legislature, Regular Session, by its adjournment has prevented the return of this bill, I am filing these objections in the office of the Secretary of State and giving notice thereof by this public proclamation according to the aforementioned constitutional provision.
GREG ABBOTT
Governor
View a PDF of the veto here