Leave it to California and Gov. Jerry Brown to make their citizens less safe, all in the name of “tolerance,” “equality,” and “fairness.” Here we go again.
Brown signed a bill Tuesday that would effectively end the cash bail system for some defendants awaiting trial, depending on what the state believes is their “risk to public safety.” The bill takes effect on October 1, 2019.
“Today, California reforms its bail system so that rich and poor alike are treated fairly,” Brown said in a statement.
According to CNN:
Under the new law, a pretrial assessment would be done by either court employees or a local public agency that has been contracted to determine a defendant's risk. That entity would assess the likelihood that the person will not appear in court or commit a new crime while released, and would make a recommendation for conditions of release. The defendant will be assessed as high, medium or low risk.
A person who is deemed as high risk, including those arrested for violent felonies, will not be released.
The California Money Bail Reform Act, also known as Senate Bill 10, passed in the State Senate with a vote of 26-12, and the General Assembly by 42-31.
Those that believe in states’ rights will say that California doing what they want, independent of federal regulations, is a good thing. But, what happens when the state makes a mistake by letting someone go before their trial and that person commits another crime, possibly even murder?
California will have egg on their face and just chalk it up to “a few bad apples.” Business will most likely go on as usual, like it did after Kate Steinle was murdered by an illegal alien.
Way to go, California! You continue to prove to the rest of the country that you have no interest in fairness to your law-abiding citizens, no matter what Jerry Brown says.