§ 597:18-a — Educational Requirements for Bail Commissioners

I. The judicial training coordinator, in consultation with the chief justice of the superior court and the administrative judge of the circuit court, shall develop an education program to ensure that new bail commissioners are adequately trained and that existing bail commissioners have current information regarding the status of the laws affecting bail commissioners and the powers and duties of bail commissioners. This education program shall include the laws specific to bail and the conditions that may be imposed by the bail commissioners.
II. Upon appointment, each bail commissioner shall receive at least 16 hours of training. Training may be in person, remote, or on the job training by shadowing another bail commissioner for a period of time as determined by the courts.
III. Each bail commissioner shall undergo 8 hours of annual training that shall include any changes to the law made by the general court or as a result of court decisions. An updated copy of all laws concerning bail commissioners and a copy of the latest edition of the Bail Commissioner's Handbook shall be provided to each bail commissioner at this annual training.
IV. Bail commissioners shall be paid for time spent during training as follows:
(a) Bail commissioners shall be paid a $50 stipend for each 8 hour block of training. Any in person training requiring less than 8 hours shall nonetheless be paid for a minimum 8 hour block. Remote training less than 8 hours may be prorated based upon the $50 per 8 hour block standard.
(b) If the training for newly appointed bail commissioners exceeds 16 hours, the newly appointed bail commissioners shall not be paid for more than 2, 8-hour blocks.

Legislative History

1995, 61:2, eff. July 8, 1995. 2020, 12:13, eff. July 16, 2020. 2024, 317:12, eff. Jan. 1, 2025.