Introduced by State Governor Jamie Lawson, the Criminal Justice Act gives law enforcement officers the authority to issue provisional bail for misdemeanor offenses and introduces clearer guidelines for the remand process.

Historically, delays in arraignment due to the limited availability of judges and public defenders have led to concerns over the rights of the accused. This new law addresses those concerns by allowing authorized law enforcement officers to grant provisional bail, set at 50% of the total fine amount, for those who plead not guilty to misdemeanor charges.

The act also introduces new penal code provisions, including the offense of “Failure to Abide by Provisional Bail Conditions,” classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, and updates the definition of “Obstruction of Justice,” now a fourth-degree felony.

To help educate those in custody about their rights and the new procedures, a new informational poster has been installed in the Mission Row Police Department cell area. The poster outlines the criminal process, the right to bail, and available legal protections for the accused.

This reform represents a major step toward modernizing the San Andreas criminal justice framework and protecting the rights of the accused while maintaining public safety.