CONCORD, N.H. - The ACLU of New Hampshire today issued a statement following the state senate’s passage of HB 592, the bail reform rollback bill, and ahead of Governor Kelly Ayotte’s expected signing of the legislation.
Devon Chaffee, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Hampshire, said:
- “Make no mistake: this bill is anti-liberty, anti-due process, and will result in thousands of non-dangerous Granite Staters being jailed - all at high taxpayer expense and despite being presumed innocent in the eyes of the law.
“HB 592 will not make the Granite State safer. It is deeply disturbing that politicians on both sides of the aisle are willing to cast aside the civil liberties of their constituents and overlook the actual facts in an attempt to score political points.
“Research shows that pretrial incarceration leads to job loss, breakdowns of families, and even severe health issues and death.
“Under this bill, we will return to an unjust system where Granite Staters will be held in jail for days, weeks, or even months for no reason other than they cannot afford bail. They’ll also be denied freedom using mere probable cause, and experience much longer wait times behind bars for a bail hearing.”