SB 37

Under current law, magistrates appointed as bond hearing officers hold bond hearings in judicial districts on the weekend to ensure that citizens are able to be heard on bond within 48 hours of their arrest. The bond hearing officers set bonds, and staff help with the bond process. The bill allows available local elected judges to preside over weekend bond hearings while utilizing the weekend bond court staff requires the state court administrator to develop a process for evaluating bond hearing officers who preside over weekend bond hearings. The evaluations must solicit input from district attorneys, public defenders, court staff, and other interested parties. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)