Wearing a tan cowboy hat, Texas Governor Greg Abbott lowers a microphone toward his chest while listening to the national anthem at a World Series baseball game held in Arlington, Texas.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images
  • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday spoke about having to "restore God" in order to reduce crime.
  • Abbott was signing a new bail reform bill into law.
  • Civil rights advocates have warned the bill will be a boon for the for-profit bail bonds industry.
  • See more stories on Insider's business page.

Texas Gov. Great Abbott said on Monday that "better parenting" and religion playing a bigger role in society can help reduce crime.

"We need better parenting, greater parental involvement. We need to restore God in our communities," Abbott said. "If we do that, we will be able to reduce crime in this region."

The governor delivered the remarks during a bill signing for Texas' new bail reform law.

Under the new law, defendants accused of violent crimes or anyone arrested on a felony charge already out on bond in a violent case will be limited to using cash bail.

With the only option other than cash bail being a percentage payment to a bail bonds company, civil rights advocates have warned that the bill could be a boon to the for-profit bail bonds industry, according to the Texas Tribune. Texas Democrats have also criticized the bill for exacerbating income inequality and potentially impeding due process if jails are overcrowded.

The Texas legislature - which normally meets once every two years for just 140 days - has been meeting under special sessions after Democrats staged a walkout in an effort to prevent restrictive voting laws from being passed.

Republicans named the bill after Damon Allen, a Texas state trooper who was shot and killed during a traffic stop by a man who was released on cashless bond.

As a practicing Roman Catholic, Abbott often cites faith to support controversial polices, such as the recent Texas abortion law, which is being challenged by the Department of Justice in a lawsuit. He has also occasionally clashed with bishops and other faith leaders over issues ranging from restricting the admission of Syrian refugees to his adamant support of the death penalty.

The governor recently drew derision on social media for saying he would "eliminate all rapists from the streets" now that the state has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country with no exceptions for rape or incest.

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