In response to nationwide protests against police brutality last year, the Texas House on Thursday passed a bill to raise criminal penalties and require jail time for people who obstruct a roadway if it prevents the passage of an emergency vehicle or blocks a hospital entrance.
After tentative approval Wednesday, the House finally passed House Bill 9 on a 90-55 vote. It now heads to the Senate.
The in-custody murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year sparked protests across the country against police brutality and racial injustice. In Texas, recent high-profile police killings of Black and Hispanic people fueled demonstrations as well. As protests erupted across the state, some demonstrators were arrested after allegedly throwing rocks or damaging property and hundreds more were arrested for blocking highways.
