HB 1527 - Criminal Justice

• Removes the requirement for full payment of fines and fees as a condition for completing a sentence and restoring voting rights for felons.

• Modifies law enforcement use of force standards by requiring de-escalation techniques before deadly force and establishing proportionality requirements based on suspect threat level, weapon status, and offense severity.

• Changes self-defense standards to require an objective "reasonably cautious and prudent person" test instead of subjective belief, and raises the burden of proof to "clear and convincing evidence" to overcome self-defense immunity claims.

• Requires law enforcement agencies to establish policies prohibiting high-speed pursuits in densely populated areas and shooting at moving vehicles, with pursuits only justified when necessity outweighs danger and suspect poses clear threat.

• Mandates judges to issue written orders with demographic information (judge and defendant race, ethnicity, gender) when declining to impose alternative sanctions for probation or community control violators, and requires collection of detailed criminal justice data.