We wanted to forward a note from Dennis Bartlett of the American Bail Coalition (ABC) in regards to the National Association of Counties (NACo) aggressive anti bail bond industry actions in Virginia. NACo has asked county employees all over the US to weigh in against H 728, the Virginia bill that would limit the use of Pretrial Serivce Agencies by only the truly indigent. According to Mr. Bartlett, some senators have received over 1000 emails opposing the bill. NACo has hired 8 lobbyists who are on the ground in Richmond, and they are pulling out all the stops because of the progress made on behalf of the bail bond industry across the country.
We have included below a copy of the letter that Mr. Bartlett has sent.
Dear Senator,
Your switch board will be clogged with calls from Virginia’s public employees who have been instructed to petition you to vote against H 728. This plainly is orchestrated by pretrial services who are asking fellow civil servants to weigh in on their behalf. Most of them probably have no clue what H 728 is about.
I am both a member of the National Association of Pretrial Service Agencies (NAPSA) and the commercial bail industry.
Wearing the NAPSA cap, I see no loss of jobs for pretrial services. The only difference is that they are restored to their original mandate, to bailout the indigent. They are trying to move beyond this cohort of defendants simply to have more “clients’ to justify expanded agencies and budgets. There is no need for them. Wearing my commercial bail hat, I see that commercial bail covers this very well, and much more importantly, at no cost to the public.
Will H 728 cause jail overcrowding? Unlikely. Defendants will immediately contact a bondsman to get out, and will be released much sooner than if they have to be processed through the pretrial bureaucracy. In fact, it probably will reduce jail space due to the earlier out for qualified defendants.
Furthermore, pretrial services has called in carpetbaggers such as the head of NAPSA from NY and the head of pretrial services in KY to lobby on their behalf. What do such hired guns know about our state? In addition, pretrial services has used deception in the formulation of false fiscal impact statements if H 728 passes. These false and misleading impact statements have been repudiated by a study from the Department of Economics at GMU, the House Appropriations Committee, and more recently, even the governor’s office.
Hence, I’d suggest that passage of H 728 will not only enhance public safety in VA, but makes good fiscal sense in a time of budget crunch in the commonwealth.
Dennis Bartlett
American Bail Coalition
Fairfax, VA
American Bail Coalition
Fairfax, VA
Additionally, ABC is asking that all bail bond agents contact the list of senators below.
Senator Ryan McDougle – 804-698-7504
[email protected]
Senator Creigh Deeds – 804-698-7525
[email protected]
[email protected]
Senator Creigh Deeds – 804-698-7525
[email protected]
Senator Chap Petersen – 804-698-7534
[email protected]
[email protected]