NC H768

Eliminates unsecured appearance bonds as a pretrial release condition in North Carolina criminal cases.

Requires judicial officials to impose at least one of the following conditions instead: release on written promise to appear, placement in custody of a designated person or organization, secured appearance bond, or house arrest with electronic monitoring.

Maintains requirement that judicial officials must impose the least restrictive conditions unless they determine release will not reasonably assure the defendant's appearance, poses danger to persons, or risks destruction of evidence or witness intimidation.

Makes conforming changes to G.S. 15A-535(b) to remove references to unsecured bonds in pretrial release program provisions.

Effective December 1, 2013, and applies to all criminal actions determining pretrial release conditions on or after that date.