HSB 641 — A bill for an act relating to bail and bond amounts and conditions.

Bill Text

• Introduced View text Current pdf

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill modifies regulations around bail and bond amounts and conditions, specifying new criteria for release and updating the bond schedule.

• Section 804.21

  Where When the offense is bailable, the magistrate shall fix bail giving due consideration to the bail at the → When the offense is bailable, the magistrate shall fix bail at the amount endorsed on the warrant unless the bail set on the warrant is less than that specified on the bond schedule, and shall give due consideration to other conditions stipulated on the warrant for the defendant’s appearance in the court which issued the warrant;

  Clarifies how bail amounts are determined when the offense is bailable.

• Section 804.21

  the person’s removal to appear before the magistrate who issued the warrant. → until the person’s removal to appear before the magistrate who issued the warrant.

  Ensures the arrested person's custody is maintained correctly until their required court appearance.

• Section 804.21

  In fixing bail, the magistrate shall not set bail at an amount that is less than, or a percentage of, that on → In fixing bail, the magistrate shall not set bail at an amount that is less than, or a percentage of, that on the uniform bond schedule, unless the magistrate provides justification for the deviation in writing.

  Imposes a requirement for magistrates to provide justification for bail deviations from the uniform bond schedule.

• Section 811.1

  except that the following defendants shall not be admitted to bail: → except that the following defendants shall not be admitted to bail:

  Clarifies that certain defendants are ineligible for bail.

• Section 811.1

  A defendant is only eligible to be released on the defendant’s own recognizance if the defendant has been charged → A defendant is only eligible to be released on the defendant’s own recognizance if the defendant has been charged with a nonviolent, nondrug simple or serious misdemeanor.

  Establishes clearer criteria for defendants eligible for release on their own recognizance.

• Section 811.2

  All bailable defendants shall be ordered released from custody pending judgment or entry of deferred judgment on → All bailable defendants shall be ordered released from custody pending judgment or entry of deferred judgment on their personal recognizance, except as limited by section 811.1, subsection 3, or upon the execution of an unsecured appearance bond in an amount specified by the magistrate unless the magistrate determines in the exercise of the magistrate’s discretion, that such a release will not reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant as required or that release will jeopardize the personal safety of another person or persons.

  Generalizes the conditions under which bailable defendants can be released.

• Section 811.2

  the execution of an appearance bond in an amount specified by the magistrate unless the magistrate determines in the exercise of the magistrate’s discretion, that such a release will not reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant as required or that release will jeopardize the personal safety of another person or persons. → the execution of an appearance bond in a specified amount and the deposit with the clerk of the district court or a public officer designated under section 602.1211, subsection 4, in cash or other qualified security, of a sum not to exceed ten percent of the amount of the bond, the deposit to be returned to the person who deposited the specified amount with the clerk upon the performance of the appearances as required in section 811.6.

  Updates the requirements for appearance bond deposits.

• Section 811.2

  If a pretrial release evaluation is completed by the department of corrections for a magistrate to consider prior to the release of a defendant, the evaluator for the department of corrections must verify all of the information contained in the pretrial release evaluation prior to providing it to the magistrate.

  Adds a verification requirement for pretrial release evaluations.

• The judicial council shall revise and update the bond schedule to adjust for inflation since the previous update that became effective on July 1, 2017. The revised bond schedule shall be submitted to the supreme court no later than July 1, 2027.

  Mandates the judicial council to revise the bond schedule to reflect inflation adjustments.

Action History

1. February 16, 2026

   Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 2505.

2. February 11, 2026

   Committee vote: Yeas, 15. Nays, 8.

3. February 11, 2026

   Committee report, recommending amendment and passage.

4. February 04, 2026

   Subcommittee recommends passage.

5. January 29, 2026

   Subcommittee Meeting: 02/04/2026 12:00PM RM 103.

6. January 29, 2026

   Subcommittee: Vondran, Gosa and Gustoff.

7. January 29, 2026

   Introduced, referred to Public Safety.

Sponsors

• COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY · Primary

Subjects