Bill > SB490

This bill amends Pennsylvania law to restrict bail for individuals deemed to pose a threat to public safety by establishing new guidelines for issuing authorities and arresting officers. Under the new provisions, an issuing authority cannot release a defendant on their own recognizance or with an unsecured monetary condition if they are considered a "person posing a threat to public safety," which includes individuals charged with specific offenses such as assaulting a law enforcement officer, committing violent crimes with prior violent criminal history, or possessing significant quantities of fentanyl or its derivatives. The bill allows issuing authorities to deny bail if they determine that no bail conditions can reasonably ensure public safety, while explicitly maintaining the presumption of innocence and preserving an individual's right to seek bail modification hearings. The legislation defines various circumstances that would classify a person as a public safety threat, such as recent violent crime convictions, prior delinquency adjudications for violent offenses, or drug charges involving substantial amounts of dangerous substances. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage, providing a transition period for implementation by law enforcement and judicial authorities.

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https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=490