A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish pilot programs to significantly reduce the use of secured bonds as a condition of pretrial release and to appropriate funds.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of Indigent Defense Services (IDS) the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to be used to establish three pilot programs to assist judicial districts to significantly reduce the use of secured bonds as a condition of pretrial release. IDS shall select three judicial districts, one each in the eastern, central, and western part of the State and based upon the district in each area with the highest use of secured bonds per arrest. Each pilot shall receive three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) and shall use the funds to implement the use of all of the following for individuals charged with misdemeanor offenses or Class G, H, and I felonies:
(1)	Citations in lieu of arrest.
(2)	Impartial screening tools to better assess flight risk.
(3)	Electronic court date reminder systems.
SECTION 2.  Each judicial district that participates in the pilot shall collect data regarding the impact of using the modifications required in Section 1 of this act and shall report the information to IDS.
SECTION 3.  IDS shall use the remaining one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for training, literature, and evaluation of the pilots. IDS shall report the results of the pilots to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety by October 1, 2020.
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2019.