Bill > HB0489

This bill requires defendants who are not deemed indigent (meaning they can afford to pay) and are ordered to wear a transdermal monitoring device or an alternative device, such as a GPS tracker or other alcohol/drug monitoring equipment, as a condition of their pretrial release or probation, to pay all associated costs, including installation, monitoring, maintenance, and operation. If a defendant fails to make payments within five days of the due date, it is considered nonpayment, and the monitoring provider or government agency must notify the court and the defendant. The court will then hold a hearing to determine if the defendant should have their bond revoked, be allowed to catch up on payments, or if alternative funding sources can cover the costs, with local government entities generally excluded from being considered "alternative funding sources" unless a specific fund is established. If payments are not made and no alternative funding is found, monitoring services may be suspended or terminated after proper notification, and the defendant could face consequences for violating probation.