According to the Visalia Times Delta: Senate Bill 10 and the California cash bail reformation has been postponed until after the November, 2020, election in which California voters will get to vote on whether or not to reform the cash bail system in the state.

Is Reforming the Cash Bail System a Good Idea?

While many people view the cash bail system in California to be predatory, it is actually a tried-and-true system that helps prevent flight-risk defendants from running from the law. It also helps to prevent known criminals from being released into the public while they await trial. Removing this monetary incentive could increase the flight-risk for said defendants. If there is no incentive to keep the defendant coming back to court to resolve their legal situation, then there is a greater chance that the defendant will skip bail and create a much larger burden on the state and law enforcement professionals.

And, even if you feel like reforming the bail system is a good idea, this may be a poor way to do so. In fact, Senate Bill 10 was heavily criticized by several politicians, civil rights groups, and the bail bonds industry.

“I didn’t support SB 10 when it came through the Assembly. I didn’t think it was fully cooked. The bill was very rushed. I’m glad it made it back to the ballot. It’s allowing the voters to decide. This measure has a lot of repercussions and we should respect the will of the people. As of late, it feels like California has forgotten about its duty to its citizens.” – Assemblyman Devon Mathis