Bill > SB1618

This bill, the Pretrial Release Act, mandates that courts conduct a "pretrial risk assessment" for defendants arrested for misdemeanors or felonies before formal charges are filed, which is a validated actuarial assessment predicting a defendant's risk of danger to others or the community, or their risk of fleeing. The assessment can consider factors like criminal history, substance abuse, community ties, and the nature of the offense, and its results will be provided to defense counsel upon request. While the assessment's results cannot be the sole reason to deny release, courts are presumed to accept its findings when setting bail or release conditions, unless the state can prove by clear and convincing evidence that a deviation is necessary to ensure the defendant's appearance, protect public safety, or comply with specific legal requirements for the offense. The bill also expands the types of offenses for which bail schedules can be established to include wildlife and water safety offenses, and clarifies procedures for bond forfeiture and the use of pretrial release programs, with an effective date of November 1, 2026.

Justice

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1618&Session=2600