Bail Reform (H 5088, H 6065, S 492, S 602)

While wealthier individuals who can post bail are permitted to go home while awaiting their hearings, those without immediate cash flow are forced to stay in jail until their case is heard, creating a wealth-based incarceration system.

While wealthier individuals who can post bail are permitted to go home while awaiting their hearings, those without immediate cash flow are forced to stay in jail until their case is heard, creating a wealth-based incarceration system. We testified in favor of S 492, S 602, H 5088, and H 6065, introduced by Senator Ana Quezada, Senator Sandra Cano, Representative Jean Philippe Barros, and Representative Anastasia Williams which would have confronted this aspect of the criminal justice system by promoting pretrial release of individuals without the requirement of monetary bail. These bills all died in committee.