Sponsors (24)
The bill centralizes and publicizes pretrial release practices to boost transparency, oversight, and public-safety information but does so by empowering the Attorney General in ways that could politicize labels, stigmatize jurisdictions, and discourage pretrial release—potentially raising detention and costs.
State and local governments and the public: makes prosecutorial and judicial pretrial practices across jurisdictions publicly visible, improving transparency and accountability.
Residents (and local communities): may experience increased public safety by identifying jurisdictions that allow pretrial release for people charged with violent or disorder offenses.
Policymakers, researchers, and law enforcement: creates a centralized source to compare pretrial release practices, facilitating data-driven oversight and possible federal engagement.
Defendants and law enforcement: gives the Attorney General broad discretion to define 'covered offense,' risking inconsistent or politicized designations that could change enforcement priorities and affect defendants' rights.
Low-income individuals and defendants: may chill use of pretrial release options, increasing pretrial detention, incarceration impacts on defendants, and related costs for taxpayers.
State and local governments: being labeled for permitting pretrial release could cause reputational harm or federal pressure, especially if contextual case details are not reflected.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the Attorney General to publish and update annually a public list of jurisdictions that allow cashless pretrial release for offenses the AG deems a clear threat to public safety.
Requires the Attorney General to publish, within one year and then annually, a public list of every State and local government that permits pretrial release on personal recognizance or an unsecured appearance bond for people charged with offenses the Attorney General deems a clear threat to public safety (examples given include violent crimes and riot-related offenses). The list covers jurisdictions that allow “cashless” pretrial release for such covered offenses and must be updated yearly.
Official title: Cashless Bail Reporting Act
Introduced September 30, 2025 by Mark Harris · Last progress May 18, 2026