District attorney explains why ‘Zero-dollar’ bail policy continues in SLO County
–While the Judicial Council of California voted 17-2 to end the “zero-dollar bail” schedule on June 20, the practice continues in San Luis Obispo County, according to District Attorney Dan Dow. The state council left it up to local courts to determine how to address bail in their jurisdictions.
“Unfortunately, the zero bail did not end in its entirety, he said. “Our SLO County Superior Court implemented its own zero bail schedule fashioned after the earlier statewide zero bail measure.”
Essentially, any crime that is not defined in the penal code as serious, violent, or a sex offense is still given zero bail in SLO County.
Here is the “Emergency Bail Schedule” put in place by local Judges on June 21: During the COVID-19 crisis, and as authorized by the Chair of the Judicial Council of California, the San Luis Obispo Superior Court approved and adopts the following Emergency Bail Schedule effective upon the revocation of Emergency Rule 4, adopted by the Judicial Council on April 6, 2020.
This bail schedule shall apply to:
(A) Every accused person arrested and in pretrial custody; and
(B) Every accused person held in pretrial custody.
Bail for all misdemeanor and felony offenses is set at $0, with the exception of only the offenses listed below:
A serious felony, as defined in Penal Code section 1192.7(c), such as murder and manslaughter, or a violent felony, as defined in Penal Code section 667.5(c);
PC 207 & 209 w/ intent to commit sex assault – Kidnapping
PC 236.1 (b) and (c) – Human Trafficking
PC 243.4 – Sexual Battery
PC 261 – Rape
PC 262(a)(1 ) w/ use of force/violence & state prison sentence – Spousal Rape
PC 264.1 – Penetration by Foreign Object
PC 266 – Enticing Minor to Prostitution
PC 266c – Unlawful Sexual Intercourse by Fraud
PC 266h(b) – Pimping of a Minor
PC 266i(b) – Pandering with a Minor
PC 266j – Procuring Child Under 16 for Lewd Acts
PC 267 – Abduction a Minor for Prostitution
PC 269 – Aggravated Sexual Assault of Child
PC 285 – Incest
PC 286 – Sodomy
PC 287 – Oral Copulation
PC 245(a)(4) – Assault with Force Likely to Cause GBI, felony only
PC 166(c)(4) – Violation of a Restraining Order with a Prior
PC 236.1 – Labor and Human Trafficking
PC 368 – Elder Abuse, physical or financial, felony only
PC 273a – Child Abuse
PC 273d – Corporal Injury to a Child
VC 2800.2 – Evading a Peace Officer
A felony violation alleged to have been committed while the arrestee is out of custody on bail, own recognizance, or zero dollars bail.
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