2024 - Proposed Amendment to Eliminate Bail

This is something that is happening that is very quiet that every Hoosier needs to be aware of before voting this year.

We amend the Indiana Constitution by two consecutive legislature sessions passing the proposed amendment, then it goes onto the next general election ballot. This amendment has passed once in 2023 and is set to be passed again in 2025, and then be on our ballot to vote for in 2026.

What this amendment would do is that it would eliminate bail for violent crimes and crimes listed as a "substantial risk to persons or the community."

DO YOU LIKE THAT LANGUAGE? "Crimes listed as substantial risk to persons or the community" WHAT DOES THAT MEAN????

What it means is that the legislature will be able to author a law defining what crimes are substantial risks. Would they go so far as to make marijuana possession a "substantial risk," meaning that if you were caught with marijuana you would go to jail without the possibility of bail until being adjudicated? Would you lose your job, your house, or your car?

Another thing to look at is to consider that 2/3 of the people charged with a crime get out on bail. Most of our county jails are near capacity now. Who is going to pay for the tripling the size of our 92 county jails? Who is going to pay for the food and service for 3 times as many inmates? If we further hand over our penal system to corporate jails, how do we come up with that money? What taxes get raised to pay for that?

This needs to be stopped in the legislature in 2025 & 2026, and if it does come to our ballot in 2026, Hoosiers need to vote it down. It may look like a great “tough on crime” stance, but it will come at a huge cost to Hoosiers as we must find a way to pay for yet another Republican unfunded mandate.