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HB 6245

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Edith Ajello and 6 co-sponsors

Establishes a Rhode Island Bail Task Force to study monetary bail's role and identify non-monetary alternatives and reforms to improve court appearance, safety, and fairness.

05/27/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 6245

Summary — HB 6245 (Bail and Recognizance) — Bail Task Force

Status: Committee recommended measure be held for further study (05/27/2025)
Introduced: April 23, 2025 (House); referred to House Judiciary
Effective date: upon passage (per bill text)

Note: The packet provided includes unrelated text from another bill; this summary addresses the Bail Task Force measure (LC002742 / HB 6245) that creates a statutory task force to study bail practices.

Purpose / Intent

The bill creates a state-level Bail Task Force to study whether monetary conditions of bail should continue and, if so, to what extent. The task force is charged with identifying robust non-monetary alternatives that (1) ensure defendants’ appearance at court, (2) protect public safety, and (3) uphold presumption of innocence. The broader goal is to recommend changes to Rhode Island bail law, court rules, procedures, and practices.

Membership and Administration

  • Chair: Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court (serves as chair)
  • Co-chairs: Attorney General and Public Defender
  • Additional members (or designees): president of RI Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; president of RI Police Chiefs’ Association; Director of RI Department of Corrections; head of the Economic Progress Institute; president of Amos House; two representatives of impacted communities (appointed by the Senate president and House speaker).
  • Vacancies filled like original appointments. Members receive no compensation.
  • The Joint Committee on Legislative Services must provide meeting space and services; state agencies must cooperate and provide requested information.

Duties, Scope, and Evidence

The task force may gather testimony, data, statistical analyses, and consult experts. Areas the task force must study and include in its recommendations include:
- Whether to continue monetary bail and to what extent
- Viable non-monetary alternatives (e.g., supervision, electronic monitoring, home confinement)
- Increased use of summons instead of arrest
- Use of pretrial risk assessment tools
- Enhancing counsel availability at initial appearance and continuity of counsel between district and superior courts (felony cases)
- Notice procedures for defendants and counsel
- Pretrial services capacity and effective use
- Education/training for judges, clerks, prosecutors, defense counsel, and stakeholders
- Establishment and role of community bail funds

Timeline / Reporting

  • Task force must organize by the call of co-chairs no later than September 1, 2025.
  • Final report with recommendations due January 1, 2027 (to Governor, Chief Justice, presiding justices, legislative leaders, and judiciary committee chairs).
  • After submission, the task force will meet periodically to assess impact; it must deliver a supplemental report by July 1, 2028.
  • Complete final report by May 1, 2029; the task force dissolves on July 1, 2029.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Defendants and pretrial populations (potential changes to bail conditions)
  • Judges and court staff (rules/procedures and training)
  • Prosecutors and defense counsel (practice and counsel availability)
  • Law enforcement (use of summons vs. arrest)
  • Pretrial services, corrections, community organizations, and potential community bail funds

Potential Impact and Next Steps

The statute establishes an advisory body; it does not itself change bail law. Its recommendations could lead to legislative changes, court rule amendments, expanded pretrial services, new training requirements, or establishment of community bail funds—each likely requiring additional funding or statutory action. The task force’s findings could influence Rhode Island’s use of monetary vs. non-monetary pretrial conditions and related practices.

Current Procedural Status

  • Introduced and referred to House Judiciary (04/23/2025)
  • Hearing/consideration scheduled for 05/27/2025
  • Committee recommended holding the measure for further study on 05/27/2025.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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