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County attorney warns new sentencing and bond laws will increase jail time and workload
Summary
Montgomery County's attorney reported routine office matters and warned that two new state laws effective July 1 (SB 358 and HB 2444) will likely increase jail days and processing costs by requiring earlier custody and higher minimum bonds for certain offenders.
The county attorney delivered a quarterly update highlighting office activity and legislative changes that she said will affect county operations. The attorney told commissioners the Sentencing Commission’s dashboard shows felony sentencing levels holding steady and that the office has handled multiple jury trials and staffing changes, but then turned to two statewide changes effective July 1 that will affect jail and court operations.
On Senate Bill 358, the attorney said certain convicted defendants (specified felony levels and non‑drug or some drug felonies) will be required to go into custody at plea, which she estimated could add roughly 60 additional jail days per person in some cases. On House Bill 2444 she described changes to consecutive sentencing, minimum secured appearance bonds and new presumptions for higher bond amounts when a person has higher criminal history; she warned those changes will likely increase jail populations and processing workloads and urged budgeting and staffing review. "We're still working out the numbers," she said, and committed to producing estimates for budget planning.
