The House Judiciary Committee took up a bill dealing with releasing people charged with misdemeanor offenses on personal recognizance bonds. However, some legislators expressed concerns about the wording of the bill.
In Monday’s meeting, the committee heard from Deputy Corrections Commissioner Mike Coleman, of the West Virginia Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. Coleman described issues regarding the corrections system and the population problem occurring in regional and county jails across the state.
House Bill 2190 relates to the release of a criminal on a personal recognizance bond by a magistrate unless there is good cause shown. This bill would only apply to misdemeanor offenses and is not pertinent to felony cases.
The committee discussed the phrasing of “good cause” and what that phrasing would entail or how a magistrate would interpret it.
The committee recessed and is scheduled to continue discussion at 2 p.m.
