Rep. Fitzgerald’s Bail Reform Bill Passes in House

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) issued the following statement after his bill, the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act, was passed on the House floor 255-161.

"The radical left-wing approach to prosecution and bail have had deadly consequences throughout our country, which is why I introduced the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act," said Rep. Fitzgerald (WI-05). "This bill will protect our communities by defining bail bonds as insurance products and by bringing charitable bail funds under state insurance regulation. These changes will add a much-needed layer of transparency and accountability to bail funds, that up until now, have been operating in the shadows without oversight. I was grateful to see my bill pass this week-and I look forward to seeing it make its way through the Senate next."

Background: Groups like the Bail Project and Minnesota Freedom Fund aggressively solicit funds to pay bail with little regard to the criminal histories of those they're putting back on the streets. The Minnesota Freedom Fund paid the bail for notable offenders including George Howard, a man charged with domestic abuse who two weeks after having his bail paid, was charged with second-degree murder in a road rage incident.

A 2023 analysis by CNN found that at least 65 defendants who were bailed out by the Minnesota Freedom Fund "were awaiting trial on felony charges involving violence, physical threats, or sex crimes. All were convicted."

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