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Panel backs bill letting solicitors send defendants to pretrial intervention more than once
Summary
House Judiciary gave a favorable report to H.3057, which would allow a solicitor to consent to a defendant entering pretrial intervention (PTI) multiple times, with a specific prohibition on second PTI for prior criminal domestic violence participation. Members debated solicitor discretion, victim input and whether to cap repeat admissions.
The House Judiciary Committee favorably reported House Bill 3057 after debate over prosecutor discretion and the scope of pretrial intervention. Mr. Weeks, reporting for the Bridal Law subcommittee, said the bill "would lift that bar if the solicitor consents" to allow a person to participate in PTI more than once, while explicitly barring a second PTI for someone whose first use was for a criminal domestic violence charge.
Supporters, including Rep. Rutherford, argued the solicitor should retain discretion in their circuits and that PTI often provides treatment and supervision alternatives that reduce recidivism compared with fines. "If you can cut down on rates of recidivism, we should do everything possible to allow solicitors to do that," Rutherford said.
Members pressing for limits worried the bill's language allows unlimited repeats if a solicitor consents. Rep. Quinn asked whether there should be a numeric cap; Quinn said unlimited PTI "just strikes me as... a big change." The committee discussed victim input and noted that a victim's objection can block PTI in practice. Committee members also raised procedural questions about PTI fees; one member recited the statutory fee structure discussed in committee: a $100 initial application fee and a $250 fee prior to admission.
After discussion the committee approved a favorable report on H.3057. The bill gives local solicitors discretion to admit defendants to PTI multiple times subject to the statutory exception for domestic violence; committee members suggested amendments on the floor could add limits or fee changes.
