U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) on March 25 announced the reintroduction of his Pretrial Integrity and Safety Act with House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Senate co-lead Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). The Pretrial Integrity and Safety Act incentivizes states to move away from a money bail system. Instead, the bill encourages states to replace their existing bail systems with assessments made on proven data outcomes – a more just system for evaluating the flight and safety risk of defendants facing trial. This kind of assessment considers factors such as a person’s past criminal history and the current charge.

“Money bail creates a grossly unjust system where criminals are able to go free if they can fork up the cash, while those that can’t are forced to languish in jail before their time in court,” Lieu said. “Those who can’t make bail can end up losing jobs and their homes, and sometimes their ability to care for their families. In short, money bail criminalizes being poor. I firmly believe that safety should be our primary concern when detaining someone before trial, and we shouldn’t make these decisions based on a person’s finances.”

For information, visit lieu.house.gov.