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H7203 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE (Prohibits the courts from setting cash or surety bail on any misdemeanor offense but permits the court to set reasonable non-monetary conditions of bail to assure the defendant's presence in court as required and to protect the community.)

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE (Prohibits the courts from setting cash or surety bail on any misdemeanor offense but permits the court to set reasonable non-monetary conditions of bail to assure the defendant's presence in court as required and to protect the community.)

Crime
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Felix, McEntee, Craven, Cruz, Ajello, Morales, Potter, Alzate, Lombardi
Last action
2026-04-02
Official status
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE (Prohibits the courts from setting cash or surety bail on any misdemeanor offense but permits the court to set reasonable non-monetary conditions of bail to assure the defendant's presence in court as required and to protect the community.)

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE (Prohibits the courts from setting cash or surety bail on any misdemeanor offense but permits the court to set reasonable non-monetary conditions of bail to assure the defendant's presence in court as required and to protect the community.)

What This Bill Does

  • AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE (Prohibits the courts from setting cash or surety bail on any misdemeanor offense but permits the court to set reasonable non-monetary conditions of bail to assure the defendant's presence in court as required and to protect the community.)

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-02 Committee

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  2. 2026-03-27 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/02/2026)

  3. 2026-01-21 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Introduced, referred to House Judiciary

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE (Prohibits the courts from setting cash or surety bail on any misdemeanor offense but permits the court to set reasonable non-monetary conditions of bail to assure the defendant's presence in court as required and to protect the community.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H7203

2026 -- H 7203
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LC003852
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE

Introduced By:
Representatives Felix, McEntee, Craven, Cruz, Ajello, Morales, Potter,
Alzate, and J. Lombardi

Date Introduced:
January 21, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 12-13-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-13 entitled "Bail and
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Recognizance" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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12-13-1. Right to release pending trial on giving of recognizance.
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(a) Felony cases.
Every person who is held on any criminal process to answer to any
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indictment, information, or complaint against him or her shall be released upon giving recognizance
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with sufficient surety or sureties before a justice of the supreme or superior court or before a justice
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of the district court, when the complaint is pending in that court or the person is held to answer to
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that court, in the sum named in the process, if any has been named in it, and if none is named, then
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in any sum that the justice shall deem reasonable, to appear before the court where the indictment,
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information, or complaint is pending against him or her, or to which he or she may be bound over
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to appear, to answer to the indictment, information, or complaint, and to answer to it whenever
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called upon so to do, and abide the final order of the court, and in the meantime keep the peace and
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be of good behavior. Any justice may take the recognizance in any place within the state, and the
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recognizance shall be returned to the court to which the accused has recognized to appear.
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(b) Misdemeanor cases.
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(1) Every person who is subject to any misdemeanor criminal process shall be released
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without bail but on their own recognizance and an order to abide by any conditions set by the court.
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(2) Release on non-monetary conditions shall be applied to assure the presence of the
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accused in court as required and to protect the safety of the community.

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(c) In every case, the setting of bail and conditions shall be subject to § 12-13-1.3(e).
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE
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This act would prohibit the courts from setting cash or surety bail on any misdemeanor
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offense but would permit the court to set reasonable non-monetary conditions of bail to assure the
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defendant’s presence in court as required and to protect the community.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003852 - Page 3 of 3