Porter commends Bail Project lawsuit against state of Indiana for unconstitutional law

INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement after the announcement yesterday that The Bail Project has filed a lawsuit against the state of Indiana alleging that House Enrolled Act 1300, which restricts the activities of charitable bail organizations, violates the organization's constitutional rights: 

“Even after 14 revisions, House Enrolled Act 1300 still created a double standard in our justice system by allowing bail profiteers to go unscrutinized while restricting organizations that aim to make the justice system more equitable. I'm glad to see that The Bail Project is taking legal action against a cruel and unconstitutional law that aims to keep people in jail for lacking financial resources to post their own bail.

“We can and should have a conversation on how to balance evidence-based improvements to the existing bail system with the rights to due process and presumption of innocence guaranteed in the Constitution. The interests of predatory bail bond companies should get the least consideration when deciding how our justice system operates – but with this law, their profits were prioritized. And that's shameful.”