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Committee advances bill letting solicitors place defendants into pretrial intervention more than once
Summary
House Bill 3057, reported by Mr. Weeks, would permit a solicitor to consent to a person entering pretrial intervention multiple times (with a specific bar on a second PTI for criminal domestic violence). Lawmakers debated unlimited repeats, victim input, and fees before giving the bill a favorable report.
Mr. Weeks told the Judiciary Committee that House Bill 3057 would amend sections cited in statute to allow a solicitor to consent to a person participating in a pretrial intervention (PTI) program more than once, while explicitly preventing a second PTI admission for criminal domestic violence convictions.
Mr. Quinn and other members questioned whether unlimited repeats would defeat the PTI program’s purpose; Mr. Quinn asked whether the bill had any limits and whether a solicitor’s staff could sign off. Supporters said the solicitor retains discretion and that the change mirrors language that previously passed the Legislature.
Representative Rutherford and Mr. Bannister argued the statutory change would give solicitors another tool to steer defendants into treatment and reduce recidivism: "If you can cut down on rates of recidivism, we should do everything possible to allow solicitors to do that," Rutherford said. Critics urged protections for victims and considered whether fees or caps should be added.
Committee members discussed fee amounts; a member cited a statutory fee structure that includes an initial $100 application fee and an additional $250 payment prior to program admission. After debate the committee voted to give H.3057 a favorable report.
What happens next: The bill advances with committee support; members asked for possible floor amendments to add limits or fee adjustments but the committee did not adopt specific changes at this meeting.
