Post Conviction Bond Becomes Law in South Dakota
Senate Bill 110 was signed into law in South Dakota on March 10 after being signed by Governor Michael Rounds.
Virginia Legislation to Restrict Pretrial Stalls
Legislation that would have restricted the use of taxpayer funded pretrial services to provide bond to only those offenders deemed indigent by the court stalled in the Committee of Courts of Justice March 8. HB 728 will likely come before the Virginia General Assembly again in 2011.
South Carolina Considering Early Release Bond
S1248 referred to as the Conditional Early Release By Bond Act was introduced in the Senate on March 3, 2010 and referred to the Committee on Judiciary the same day. If this bill passes into law the releasing authority may require, as a condition of a prisoner’s early release from prison, the prisoner obtain an early release bond from a licensed bail agent or post the bond in cash.
Florida Bail Agents Fight to Restrict Taxpayer Funded Pretrial Release
Feeding off the energy generated from the fight to curtail the use of taxpayer funded pretrial release in Virginia, Florida bail agents have taken a stand against pretrial services in their state with the introduction of HB 445 . This legislation establishes restrictions that would prevent an offender from being released through a pretrial release program. For instance, an offender would be prohibited if he/she was charged with a violent crime or had previously failed to appear for court. HB 445 passed out of the Public Safety & Domestic Security Policy Committee March 9 and has now been assigned to the Criminal & Civil Justice Appropriations Committee in the House.
