Hays Commissioners Court approves eBond services to expedite inmate processing time

The Hays County Commissioners Court approved the use of electronic bail bonds through Genesis eBonds for county inmates on Dec. 7. The commissioners were in agreement that it would make the system in place more efficient.

“The system allows bondsmans to log in, process a bond online and submit it for approval to the jail without having to come to the jail. The jail can then process all bonds electronically,” said Julie Villalpando, the captain of the county corrections bureau.

This will result in shorter processing times to release inmates, will save money on paper and ink, and will maximize efficiency of staff, she added.

Other counties throughout Texas, such as Bexar, Williamson and Montgomery, are either under contract or in negotiations to use eBonds.

Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra expressed his appreciation and emphasized the importance of this agenda item by discussing how much it costs to house an inmate and how the eBonds can help.

He said there are 21 “paper-ready” inmates, meaning they are now inmates of the state, and it costs approximately $70 per day to house each inmate. That is $1,470 per day the county pays for those 21 inmates that are technically the state’s responsibility, he added.

“This, that we just approved to expedite the bail process, is one of those wonderful vessels to help people move along and get through quicker and continue on their path to whatever that end may be,” Becerra said.