SB 562: A Blow to Pretrial Freedom Disguised as Reform

At Mr. Nice Guy Bail Bonds, we stand up for the people who need help the most — the single mother who can’t afford to miss work, the college student arrested by mistake, the veteran waiting on VA paperwork. Senate Bill 562 doesn’t protect these people. It punishes them.

What Is SB 562?

California SB 562 demands that bail bond companies issue refunds if charges aren’t filed within 21 days — keeping only 20% of the bail premium fee paid by the consumer. Sounds good in theory. But in reality? It’s a bureaucratic gut punch to small businesses and a trap door for people who can least afford to fall through the cracks of our justice system.

💔 Real People, Real Consequences

SB 562 threatens to keep people in jail longer — not because they’re guilty, but because bail companies will be forced to delay posting bail until charges are officially filed. That means more mothers spending nights away from their children, more employees losing jobs, and more young people sitting in cells because their family couldn’t wait days to act.

Freedom delayed is freedom denied.

⚠️ This Isn’t a Refund — It’s a Set-Up

Bail companies pay non-refundable surety and credit card fees.
They cover employee wages, insurance, licensing, and office rent.
Forced refunds mean bail agents work for free — and then pay for the privilege.

🧠 Clever Objections to a Misguided Law

Let’s call this bill what it is: a backdoor attempt to eliminate private bail and replace it with tax-funded pretrial programs that often fail to keep track of defendants. Here’s what SB 562 really does:

🎯 Incentivizes delay tactics – Prosecutors could stall charges to trigger mandatory refunds.
🔁 Double dips defendants – Clients may have to pay twice if charges are refiled.
💸 Costs taxpayers more – Private bail declines, and the state foots the bill for inefficient alternatives.

🚫 SB 562 Favors No One — Except the Government

Let’s not pretend this bill is about compassion. It’s about control. When small, community-based bail agencies are squeezed out, only the state remains. And when the state runs everything — delays, confusion, and inefficiency follow.

Irony alert: Many defendants will pay more under SB 562 than they do now. Sky-high cash bail or glitchy government systems? That’s not justice — that’s chaos.

✅ A Better Way Forward

We support smart, ethical bail reform. But SB 562 is the wrong solution aimed at the wrong target. Let’s fix what’s broken — without breaking the lives of people counting on help.