Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act of 2025

H.R. 6260 would amend federal law to treat the posting of monetary bail and bail bonds as insurance activities. This would subject bail-posting entities—including nonprofit charitable bail funds, for-profit bail bond companies, and other organizations—to federal insurance fraud penalties and allow states to impose licensing requirements on them.

Currently, charitable bail funds operate with minimal federal oversight. The bill's supporters argue that some of these organizations have posted bail for individuals later charged with violent crimes, citing cases where defendants released by bail funds subsequently committed serious offenses. Supporters contend the bill would increase accountability and ensure bail decisions consider defendants' criminal histories and risk of reoffending.

Opponents argue the bill would primarily target nonprofit bail funds that help low-income defendants who cannot afford bail, and that it duplicates existing federal fraud laws without directly addressing violent crime. The bill has passed committee review with a 15-9 vote and is now eligible for a full House floor vote, though passage is not guaranteed.