MACo Associate Director, Natasha Mehu, testified in support of legislation (SB 879) to improve and support pretrial services across the state. SB 879 would establish a Pretrial Resource Center and a Pretrial Release Pilot Program. SB 879 was heard by the Senate Judiciary Proceedings Committee.

MACo’s testimony states

The resource center would provide counties with technical assistance, training, research, and best practices for managing a pretrial program. These services would help ensure that local pretrial programs are current on standards and are operating in the most effective manner. The pilot program provides a means of regionally evaluating pretrial programs and for testing a risk-assessment tool that would be developed by the pilot program.

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SB 879 provides support to local pretrial programs and offers a means of piloting a risk assessment tool. Counties support an efficient and effective pretrial system and efforts to improve that system.

The cross-file to the bill, HB 1197, will be heard by the House Judiciary Committee on March 7, 2017.

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2017 legislative session here.