Criminal Justice (Judges)

This bill expands the list of crimes that allow a judge to set monetary bail by adding any offense where a defendant is accused of causing physical, psychological, or emotional harm to a child under eighteen. It directly affects criminal defendants charged with such offenses, as they would now be subject to potential cash bail requirements rather than automatic release on their own recognizance. The legislation updates multiple sections of the state's criminal procedure law to ensure this new category is consistently applied during pretrial proceedings.

Bill S 6366 amends the state's criminal procedure law to allow judges to set bail for individuals accused of specific offenses involving threats against schools, school staff, or students. It adds new provisions that categorize certain crimes, such as aggravated harassment, making a threat of mass harm, or making a terroristic threat, as eligible for bail. This means that if a person is charged with one of these offenses and it is alleged to have been committed against a school district, a school, its staff, or a student, a judge has the discretion to impose bail.