SB 1026 Held up in Committee: A Win for Secured Bail in California’s Bail Reform and Pretrial Release Debate

The recent decision to hold California Senate Bill 1026 (SB 1026) in committee represents a significant victory for secured release and effective pretrial release practices. According to an article from California bail agent, Susan Shapiro, keeping the bill from advancing not only prevents the state from placing unnecessary and unrealistic regulatory requirements on California’s fugitive recovery operators, but also prevents the substantial harm that these changes would have had to the effectiveness of California’s secured bail system.    

Shapiro highlights four key reasons the outcome benefits communities and the justice system. First, secured bail uses “human anchors,” family co-signers and community ties, creating personalized accountability far more effective than impersonal government algorithms.  Second, the private bail model operates at zero cost to taxpayers, providing supervision, reminders, and fugitive recovery services without the massive overhead of publicly funded pretrial release agencies. Third, defendants with financial “skin in the game” demonstrate significantly lower failure-to-appear (FTA) rates compared to cashless alternatives tried elsewhere. Finally, the decision preserves the expertise of seasoned bail professionals who outperform static risk-assessment tools. As bail reform discussions continue nationwide, Shapiro emphasizes the importance of educating policymakers on how secured surety bonds remain the gold standard for accountable, cost-effective pretrial release.

Below is an excerpt from Shapiro’s article as well as a link to the full article.

Why the Defeat of SB 1026 is a Win for Public Safety and Accountability
By Susan Shapiro

The news out of Sacramento today is a powerful reminder that secured bail remains the gold standard for ensuring defendant accountability. With SB 1026 officially held in committee, our profession has the opportunity to continue proving that the private bail system is not just an industry it is a vital component of a functioning judiciary.  READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE>>>