HB1176 — clarify bond or pre-trial release upon sobriety program participation.
What changed between bill versions as it moved through the Legislature.
The amendment creates a new 24/7 Sobriety Fund administered by the Attorney General to cover program costs and reimburse counties when defendants cannot pay, fundamentally shifting the bill from only clarifying payment conditions to establishing a funding mechanism that prevents defendants from being jailed solely due to inability to pay program fees. This STRENGTHENS the bill's consumer protection aspect by ensuring financial hardship cannot be used to incarcerate defendants for participating in a sobriety program.