By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Fast tracked with the speed of a police cruiser, the Senate passed a bail reform bill on special order that is now headed to the governor’s desk, with more than a dozen law enforcement personnel watching in support.
The vote was unanimous with Democrats saying they heard from their police and law enforcement officials who said the bill is needed for improved safety.
The bill passed the House along partisan lines, but unanimously in the Senate Judiciary Committee this week after Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte urged the matter be expedited and hoped for bipartisan support.
Sen. Daryl Abbas, R-Salem, said as a member of the other chamber previously, bail reform was one thing he worked on without success.
“We just came up short,” he said, calling out “alarming deficiencies” in our current bail law.
“But we all like a story with a good ending and this is the day we are going to do it,” Abbas said.
Since 2018 he said the state has had dangerous individuals hitting the streets.
If a prosecutor wanted that person held, they would have to wait about 48 hours for that to happen and “keep in mind, he is already released into the public.”
With this bill as law, “if you commit a crime…a felony…you are being brought before a judge,” before being released.
The costs associated with those who skip out on bail are a drain on state judicial resources.
“This bill, HB 592 changes that law,” Abbas said.
Sen. Bill Gannon, R-Sandown, said he wanted to thank Gov. Ayotte by fast tracking and shepherding the bill forward.
It was a campaign issue that Ayotte focused on while running.
“Today we can finally shut a revolving door,” Gannon said, “Let’s finally fix this today.”
Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham rose in support of OTP and said it is important to recognize that this does not erase the work done in 2018 to reform the state’s bail law.
Justices are still supposed to consider financial matters, she said.
“While we Democrats would have preferred a compromise for more time for the magistrate system there was clearly no appetite for that,” Altschiller said and while there is no funding attached, a cost was brought up by counties, she noted.
She noted a judge costs three times more than a magistrate.
It should be phased out over the five-year magistrate contract, she said.
Democrats, she said “heard from our local law enforcement and we listened and are taking action,” just as they have in the past on immigrant issues.
Sen. Victoria Sullivan, R-Manchester, ran down a list of offenses in the Queen City involving people who recently reoffended while out on bail, including the stabbing death of a Manchester man walking in the woods.
“In the safest state in the nation parents should not have to worry…” Sullivan said. The family of Daniel Whitmore should not have such a loss to bear.
Sen. Pat Long, D-Manchester, also concurred with Sullivan about “the six years we have been fighting this.”
Gov. Ayotte released the following statement after the Senate vote.
“I am grateful that the Senate voted today to end the failed social experiment of bail reform in our state. Thank you to Senate President Carson and members on both sides of the aisle for voting to protect our law enforcement officers and keep our communities safe. I look forward to signing this into law to shut the revolving door for criminals once and for all.”