NEGATIVE Justice & Civil Liberties 119th Congress

H.R.5214 DC Cash Bail Reform Act

Imposes mandatory pretrial detention and cash bail requirements in Washington, D.C. — overriding local criminal justice reforms (119th Congress)

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Legal & Constitutional Grounding

D.C. cashless bail achieves 88% court appearance rate; cash bail has documented discriminatory effects on low-income defendants.

D.C. Pretrial Services Agency Annual Report (2023): D.C.’s cashless bail system achieves 88% court appearance rate

U.S. Const. amend. VIII — prohibition on excessive bail
D.C. Home Rule Act, Pub. L. 93-198 (1973) — local legislative autonomy

D.C. Cash Bail restoration. Cash bail has documented discriminatory effects on low-income defendants, and D.C.'s reforms reduced pretrial detention without increasing crime (D.C. Pretrial Services).