A bill for an act relating to bail and bond amounts and conditions.

This bill (HSB 641) updates Iowa's bail and bond rules by requiring magistrates to set bail amounts at the state's uniform bond schedule level unless they provide written justification for a lower amount. It restricts release without payment (on "own recognizance") to defendants charged only with nonviolent, nondrug misdemeanors, removing previous eligibility for other offenses. The bill also eliminates the previous 10% cap on cash deposits for appearance bonds and mandates the judicial council to update the bond schedule for inflation by 2027. These changes apply directly to defendants facing pretrial release decisions in Iowa courts.