What's happening
This bill eliminates cash bail in New York, replacing it with non-monetary release conditions and establishing new rules for pretrial detention.
Why it matters
Eliminating cash bail aims to reduce wealth-based detention. , ensuring that pretrial release decisions are not dependent on a defendant’s ability to pay, but instead focus on their likelihood to appear in court and the risk they may pose—addressing concerns about fairness and equity in the justice system.
New non-monetary release conditions require courts to use the least restrictive means necessary to ensure court appearance. , such as pretrial supervision, travel restrictions, or contact with pretrial services. This change may reduce unnecessary pretrial incarceration, minimize disruption to defendants’ lives, and potentially lower jail populations.
A formal process for pretrial detention replaces blanket judicial discretion. , limiting detention only to cases where there is clear and convincing evidence that a defendant poses a high risk of intentional flight and no other conditions can ensure their appearance. This introduces more transparency, stricter standards, and procedural rights (like hearings and evidence disclosure) for those facing detention.
Increased court accountability and data collection. (including demographic breakdowns of who is detained or released) could help monitor for racial, ethnic, or gender disparities and inform future policy, making the justice system more transparent and potentially more just.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Cash Bail Statewide
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Print number 3579a
- Amend (t) and recommit to codes
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
End Cash Bail Statewide
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor Daniel O'Donnell
Full text
15 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3579--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 24, 2017
Introduced by Sens. GIANARIS, BENJAMIN, BRESLIN, DILAN, HAMILTON, HOYL- MAN, KRUEGER, PARKER, PERALTA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes -- recommitted to the Committee on Codes in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law and the judiciary law, in relation to enacting the "bail elimination act of 2018"; and to repeal certain provisions of the criminal procedure law and the insurance law relating to the posting of bail
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "bail elimination act of 2018".
§ 2. Subdivisions 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 of section 500.10 of the criminal procedure law are amended and a new subdivision 3-a is added to read as follows:
1. "Principal" means a defendant in a criminal action or proceeding, or a person adjudged a material witness therein, or any other person so involved therein that [he] the principal may by law be compelled to appear before a court for the purpose of having such court exercise control over [his] the principal's person to secure [his] the principal's future attendance at the action or proceeding when required, and who in fact either is before the court for such purpose or has been before it and been subjected to such control.
2. "Release on own recognizance." A court releases a principal on [his] the principal's own recognizance when, having acquired control over [his] the principal's person, it permits [him] the principal to be at liberty during the pendency of the criminal action or proceeding involved upon condition that [he] the principal will appear thereat whenever [his] the principal's attendance may be required and will at
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08752-02-8
S. 3579--A 2
all times render [himself] the principal amenable to the orders and processes of the court.
3-a. "Release under non-monetary conditions." A court releases a principal under non-monetary conditions when, having acquired control over a person, it permits the person to be at liberty during the pendency of the criminal action under conditions set by the court, which shall be the least restrictive that will reasonably assure the principal's appearance in court. Such conditions may include, among others, that the principal shall be in contact with a pretrial services agency serving principals in that county; that the principal shall abide by specified restrictions on travel that are reasonably related to an actual risk of intentional flight from the jurisdiction; that the principal shall refrain from possessing a firearm, destructive device or other dangerous weapon; that the person be placed in pretrial supervision with a pretrial services agency serving principals in that county.
4. "Commit to the custody of the sheriff." A court commits a principal to the custody of the sheriff when, having acquired control over his person, it orders that he be confined in the custody of the sheriff [during the pendency of the criminal action or proceeding involved] pending the outcome of a hearing as to whether the individual shall be ordered into pretrial detention as specified in article five hundred forty-five of this title.
5. "Securing order" means an order of a court [committing a principal to the custody of the sheriff, or fixing bail, or releasing him on his own recognizance] that either releases a principal on personal recognizance, or releases the principal under non-monetary conditions, all with the direction that the principal return to court for future court appearances and to be at all times amendable to the orders and processes of the court.
6. ["Order of recognizance or bail" means a securing order releasing a principal on his own recognizance or fixing bail] "Pretrial detention." A court may commit a principal to pretrial detention if, after a hearing and making such findings as specified in article five hundred forty-five of this title, a judge so orders detention.
§ 3. Subdivisions 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 of section 500.10 of the criminal procedure law are REPEALED, and subdivision 20 is renumbered subdivision 7.
§ 4. Section 510.10 of the criminal procedure law, as amended by chapter 459 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows: § 510.10 Securing order; when required; alternatives available; stand-
ard to be applied.
1. When a principal, whose future court attendance at a criminal action or proceeding is or may be required, initially comes under the control of a court, such court [must] shall, by a securing order, [either release him on his own recognizance, fix bail or commit him to the custody of the sheriff] release the principal pending trial on the principal's personal recognizance, unless the court finds on the record that release on recognizance will not reasonably assure the individual's court attendance. In such instances, the court will release the individual under non-monetary conditions, selecting the least restrictive alternative that will reasonably assure the principal's court attendance. The court will support its choice of alternative on the record. A principal shall not be required to pay for any part of the cost of release under non-monetary conditions.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this section, in cases where the people move for pretrial detention the court may
S. 3579--A 3
commit the defendant to the custody of the sheriff or issue a securing order in accordance with article five hundred forty-five of this title.
3. When a securing order is revoked or otherwise terminated in the course of an uncompleted action or proceeding but the principal's future court attendance still is or may be required and [he] the principal is still under the control of a court, a new securing order must be issued. When the court revokes or otherwise terminates a [securing] any order which committed the principal to the custody of the sheriff, the court shall give written notification to the sheriff of such revocation or termination of [the securing] such order.
§ 5. Section 510.20 of the criminal procedure law is amended to read as follows: § 510.20 Application for [recognizance or bail; making and determi-
nation thereof in general] a change in securing order based
on a material change of circumstances.
1. Upon any occasion when a court [is required to issue] has issued a securing order with respect to a principal, [or at any time when a principal is confined in the custody of the sheriff as a result of a previously issued securing order, he] the principal or the people may make an application for [recognizance or bail] a different securing order due to a material change of circumstances.
2. Upon such application, the principal or the people must be accorded an opportunity to be heard and to contend that [an order of recognizance or bail] a different securing order must or should issue[, that the court should release him on his own recognizance rather than fix bail, and that if bail is fixed it should be in a suggested amount and form] because, due to a material change in circumstances, the current order is either too restrictive or not restrictive enough to reasonably ensure a defendant's appearance in court. The court shall select the least restrictive non-monetary condition or conditions that will reasonably assure the principal's court attendance.
3. Where the people make an application for a different securing order on the basis of a violation of an existing securing order, the court shall consider the nature, willfulness, and seriousness of the violation and shall select the least restrictive non-monetary condition or conditions that will reasonably assure the principal's court attendance.
§ 6. Section 510.30 of the criminal procedure law, subparagraph (v) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 920 of the laws of 1982, subparagraph (vi) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 as renumbered by chapter 447 of the laws of 1977, subparagraph (vii) as added and subparagraphs (viii) and (ix) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 as renumbered by section 1 of part D of chapter 491 of the laws of 2012 and subdivision 3 as added by chapter 788 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows: § 510.30 Application for [recognizance or bail] securing order; rules of
law and criteria controlling determination.
[1. Determinations of applications for recognizance or bail are not in all cases discretionary but are subject to rules, prescribed in article five hundred thirty and other provisions of law relating to specific kinds of criminal actions and proceedings, providing (a) that in some circumstances such an application must as a matter of law be granted, (b) that in others it must as a matter of law be denied and the principal committed to or retained in the custody of the sheriff, and (c) that in others the granting or denial thereof is a matter of judicial discretion.
S. 3579--A 4
2. To the extent that the issuance of an order of recognizance or bail and the terms thereof are matters of discretion rather than of law, an application is determined on the basis of the following factors and criteria:
(a)] With respect to any principal, the court must consider the kind and degree of control or restriction that is necessary to secure his court attendance when required. In determining that matter, the court must, on the basis of available information, consider and take into account:
[(i) The principal's character, reputation, habits and mental condition;
(ii) His employment and financial resources; and
(iii) His family ties and the length of his residence if any in the community; and
(iv) His]
1. Information about the principal that is relevant to court appearance, including, but not limited to, the principal's activities, history and community ties;
2. If the principal is a defendant, the charges facing the principal;
3. The principal's criminal record if any; [and
(v) His] 4. The principal's record of previous adjudication as a juvenile delinquent, as retained pursuant to section 354.2 of the family court act, or, of pending cases where fingerprints are retained pursuant to section 306.1 of such act, or a youthful offender, if any; [and
(vi) His] 5. The principal's previous record if any in responding to court appearances when required or with respect to intentional flight to avoid criminal prosecution; [and
(vii)] 6. Where the principal is charged with a crime or crimes against a member or members of the same family or household as that term is defined in subdivision one of section 530.11 of this title, the following factors:
[(A)] (i) any violation by the principal of an order of protection issued by any court for the protection of a member or members of the same family or household as that term is defined in subdivision one of section 530.11 of this title, whether or not such order of protection is currently in effect; and
[(B)] (ii) the principal's history of use or possession of a firearm; [and
(viii)] 7. If [he] the principal is a defendant, the weight of the evidence against [him] the principal in the pending criminal action and any other factor indicating probability or improbability of conviction; or, in the case of an application for [bail or recognizance] a securing order pending appeal, the merit or lack of merit of the appeal; [and
(ix)] 8. If [he] the principal is a defendant, the sentence which may be or has been imposed upon conviction[.
(b) Where the principal is a defendant-appellant in a pending appeal from a judgment of conviction, the court must also consider the likelihood of ultimate reversal of the judgment. A determination that the appeal is palpably without merit alone justifies, but does not require, a denial of the application, regardless of any determination made with respect to the factors specified in paragraph (a).
3. When bail or recognizance is ordered, the court shall inform the principal, if he is a defendant charged with the commission of a felony, that the release is conditional and that the court may revoke the order of release and commit the principal to the custody of the sheriff in accordance with the provisions of subdivision two of section 530.60 of
S. 3579--A 5
this chapter if he commits a subsequent felony while at liberty upon such order.]; and
9. If the principal is a defendant-appellant in a pending appeal from a judgment of conviction, the court must also consider the likelihood of ultimate reversal of the judgment. A determination that the appeal is palpably without merit alone justifies, but does not require, a denial of the application, regardless of any determination made with respect to the factors specified in this paragraph.
§ 7. Section 510.40 of the criminal procedure law is amended to read as follows: § 510.40 [Application for recognizance or bail; determination thereof,
form of securing order and execution thereof] Notification
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the criminal procedure law and the judiciary law, in relation to enacting the "bail elimination act of 2018"; and to repeal certain provisions of the criminal procedure law and the insurance law relating to the posting of bail
Purpose
To end the use of monetary bail and improve our criminal justice system
Summary of provisions
Section 1 provides the title of the bill as the "Bail Elimination Act of 2018.
Read the full memo (893 words)
Section 2 amends section 500.10 of the criminal procedure law amending definitions for pretrial release provisions of the criminal procedure law including a new 3-a defining release under non-monetary conditions, and deletes references to monetary bail.
Section 3 amends section 510.10 of the criminal procedure law providing for release on recognizance or release on non-monetary conditions.
Section 4 amends section 510.20 of the criminal procedure law provides for change of a securing order based on a material change of circum- stances and requires the least restrictive means for any such order requires that when motion is made due to violation of securing order, that court consider nature, will fullness and seriousness of violation.
Section 5 amends section 510.30 of the criminal procedure law provides the factors for a court to determine a securing order.
Section 6 amends section 510.40 of the criminal procedure law requires court notification to defendant of any conditions of release, the poten- tial penalties for violating conditions, and requires court date notifi- cations to such individuals.
Section 7 amends section 510.43 of the criminal procedure law to require the court notify defendants of court dates and allows courts to partner with pretrial service agencies for such notifications.
Section 8 amends section 510.45 of the criminal procedure law providing for the OCA certification of pretrial services agencies in each county which shall be public or private non-profit entities.
Section 9 amends section 510.50 of the criminal procedure law removing references to bail and requiring notification 48 hours in advance of request to appear in court prior to issuance of a bench warrant.
Section 10 repeals article 520 of the criminal procedure law, removing references to bail.
Section 11 amends the article heading of article 530 of the criminal procedure law to reflect removal of bail.
Section 12 amends section 530.10 of the criminal procedure law to remove a reference to bail. Section 13 amends subdivision 4 of section 530.11 of the criminal proce- dure law removing a reference to bail.
Section 14 amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 8 of section 530.13 of the criminal procedure law removing a reference to bail.
Section 15 amends the opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section 530.13 of the criminal procedure law removing a reference to bail.
Section 16 amends subdivisions 9 and 11 of section 530.12 of the crimi- nal procedure law removing references to bail.
Section 17 amends section 530.20 of the criminal procedure law provides for process of release by a local criminal court
Section 18 amends the section heading, subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 530.30 of the criminal procedure law to provide for superior court review of a securing order determination when case is in local criminal court.
Section 19 amends section 530.40 of the criminal procedure law to provide for process of release by a superior court.
Section 20 amends subdivision 1 of section 530.45 of the criminal proce- dure law removing references to bail.
Section 21 repeals section 530.60 of the criminal procedure law.
Section 22 amends title p of part 3 of the criminal procedure law adding a new article 545 providing for pretrial detention under limited circum- stances for certain offenders who pose a high risk of intentional flight for the purpose of evading criminal prosecution. Provides strict limit on time an individual may be detained based upon severity of crime charged.
Section 23 repeals Article 68 of the Insurance Law, removing the provisions regarding bail bonds.
Section 24 amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 9 of Section 216.05 of the criminal procedure law, removing bail from section of law regarding judicial diversion programs
Section 25 amends subdivision 2 of section 620.40 of the criminal proce- dure law to remove bail as a release option for material witnesses.
Section 26 amends subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 620.50 of the criminal procedure law to remove bail as a release option for material witnesses.
Section 27 amends section 216 of the judiciary law, adding a new subdi- vision 5 requiring OCA to collect and report data about pretrial release.
Justification
One of the central tenets of our criminal justice system is "innocent until proven guilty", yet the current system of bail has allowed the incarceration of thousands of New Yorkers every year without having been convicted of a crime. The current system does nothing but to incarcerate indigent defendants, predominantly from minority communities. The purpose of bail is solely to ensure a defendant's future appearance in court. The data is clear: monetary bail is no more effective at guaran- teeing court attendance than non-monetary release. This bill would correct one of the great injustices of our criminal justice system, and allow New York to be a true leader in criminal justice reform.
Prior legislative history
Similar bill 2017: died in Codes 2016: died in Codes
Effective date
This act shall take effect November 1, 2019.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.