State Justice Improvement Act

This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the State Justice Institute, a nonprofit corporation established by federal law, and authorizes the institute to award grants for the development and implementation of best policies and practices for the constitutional and equitable enforcement of fines, fees, and monetary bail.

Specifically, the institute may award these grants to state and local courts, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and other specified entities. The policies and practices must incorporate guidance that courts should, among other things, prohibit the use of monetary bail schedules and consider alternatives to incarceration for defendants who are unable to pay fines and monetary bail.