No Monetary Conditions Of Bond For Misdemeanors

The bill states that, except in certain cases, a court shall not require a defendant arrested and charged for any misdemeanor, petty offense, or municipal code violation to post monetary bail as a condition of being discharged from custody. A defendant who is charged with an offense other than a felony may not be released from custody under his or her own recognizance until he or she signs and files with the clerk of the court or other designated person a written release agreement that includes certain promises.

Current law requires any pretrial services program to be established pursuant to a plan formulated by a community advisory board created for such purpose and appointed by the chief judge of the judicial district. The bill makes this requirement merely permissible.

The bill states that if a person is in custody and the court imposed a monetary condition of bond for release, and the person, after 5 days from the setting of the monetary condition of bond, remains in custody because he or she is unable to meet the monetary obligations of the bond, upon motion of the person, the court shall forthwith conduct a hearing to reconsider the monetary condition of the bond.

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)