Bail; data collection and reporting standards, report, effective clause.

Bail; data collection and reporting standards;report. Requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services to (i) collect data relating to bail determinations for any person whois held in custody pending trial or hearing for an offense, civilor criminal contempt or otherwise, in every locality; (ii) createa uniform reporting mechanism for criminal justice agencies to submitsuch data; and (iii) submit an annual report on the data collectedto the Governor and the General Assembly, as well as publish theannual report on the Department's website. The bill also providesthat the law addressing bail is to be construed so as to give effect to a general presumption in favor of pretrial release. The bill alsorequires the Department to report to the House Committee for Courtsof Justice by January 1, 2021, on the development and application of the uniform reporting mechanisms. The bill has a delayed effectivedate of July 1, 2021, for provisions related to the creation ofuniform reporting mechanisms and data collection by the Department.