I know it is hard to believe but there are some Democrats in the Assembly with a modicum of intelligence—they either voted against or abstained in the vote to allow vicious crimes back on the streets without bail—and no incentive to show up for trial. Yet, seven Democrats were so bullied, that they abstained from the vote—not exactly Profiles in Courage.
“The bill was the center piece of Bonta’s ambitious legislative agenda this year and would have established protocols for pre-trial release of plaintiffs and create county-by-county bureaucracies to assess their flight risks. Bonta has said the money bail system in the state disproportionally targets the poor, which in many cases cannot afford bail.
“Colleagues, our system is broken. I haven’t talked to any of you who disagree. The issue is how do we fix it?” said Bonta during Thursday night’s floor session.”
Yes, the system is broken—American born criminals go to jail—foreign born criminals, here illegally are protected by government so they do not go to jail or get punished. The Democrat governor of Colorado is now commuting and setting aside sentence of vicious illegal aliens, so they are not to be deported, as an example. Democrats protect criminals in an effort to make more American victims. Sad.
Bonta bail reform bill narrowly fails in Assembly
By Steven Tavares, East Bay Citizen, 6/2/17
18TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
Potential landmark legislation that would reform the state’s troubled money bail system was narrowly defeated Thursday night in the Assembly.
East Bay Assemblymember Rob Bonta’s Assembly Bill 42 failed by one vote, 36-37, after seven legislators did not record a vote.
The bill was the center piece of Bonta’s ambitious legislative agenda this year and would have established protocols for pre-trial release of plaintiffs and create county-by-county bureaucracies to assess their flight risks. Bonta has said the money bail system in the state disproportionally targets the poor, which in many cases cannot afford bail.
“Colleagues, our system is broken. I haven’t talked to any of you who disagree. The issue is how do we fix it?” said Bonta during Thursday night’s floor session.
But some assemblymembers on the fence were concerned about its estimated costs. A legislative assessment estimated the bill would cost “hundreds of millions of dollars.” Many Republicans added the bill would put public safety at risk.
But the bill’s demise is not necessarily a total defeat. Senate Bill 10, an identical bill by state Sen Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), was approved, 26-11, in the senate. The arrangement allows for bail reform to receive a second try in the Assembly.
Despite Thursday’s result, Bonta expressed optimism going forward. “Bail Reform is alive and well in California,” he said in a statement. “As we have always planned, we will continue to talk with stakeholders as we work to strengthen the bills.”
“We remain confident that we are doing the right thing in pressing for greater fairness and equity in our justice system. We will not stop fighting and these reforms are inevitable. We have right on our side and we will not be deterred.”
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