Consider and take appropriate action to adopt a fee schedule related to Pretrial Services Reimbursement Fees for Williamson County Pretrial Services, being effective March 8, 2021.

Williamson County Pretrial Services is assuming responsibility for post-release supervision of Pretrial Defendants on March 8, 2021.  Several of the supervision programs have an associated cost.  Pretrial Services is seeking Commissioners Court approval of the fee schedule, as well as the sliding scale which will be used for individuals who are unable to pay the costs related to their supervision.

Pretrial Services will be providing supervision of individuals who are ordered to comply with Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring as a condition of release.  The cost of this monitoring is $90/month. In order to ensure continuity of monitoring and in the interest of public safety, Pretrial Services will pay the fees to the vendor, and the defendant will be required to reimburse Pretrial Services pursuant to Art. 17.43(e), Tx. Code of Criminal Procedure.  The County has budgeted Professional Services funds for Pretrial Services which will be used to pay for any unreimbursed GPS fees. 

Pretrial Services will be conducting random drug screening of individuals who are ordered to comply with drug testing as a condition of release.  The cost of the drug test is $5 per test, and $12.50 per confirmation test.  In order to ensure availability of testing, Pretrial Services will pay the cost of the test and the defendant will be required to reimburse Pretrial Services pursuant to Art. 17.44(e), Tx. Code of Criminal Procedure.  The County has budgeted Professional Services funds for Pretrial Services which will be used to pay for any unreimbursed drug testing fees. 

In order to ensure that individuals have access to pretrial release regardless of their indigent status, Pretrial Services requests the Commissioners Court to approve a Sliding Fee Scale so that, if an individual is unable to afford the above fees, that person may request to have all or part of the reimbursement fee paid by the County.  In the case of such a request, Pretrial Services staff will conduct a financial study and, depending on the findings, require the defendant to reimburse a percentage of the full fee.  The Sliding Scale is attached for review and approval.