AR SB44

Appropriates $2,820,186 to the Arkansas Public Defender Commission - State Operations for fiscal year 2015-2016, including $1,239,925 in regular salaries for 19 employees and $925,000 in professional fees.

Appropriates $21,604,410 to the Trial Public Defender Office for fiscal year 2015-2016, including $14,753,116 in regular salaries for 231 employees, $770,000 for public defender programs, and $300,000 for the bail bond county public defender program.

Appropriates $90,636 to the Ombudsman Program for fiscal year 2015-2016 and $136,527 to the Trial Public Defender Office - General Improvement Fund account.

Authorizes up to 3 temporary or part-time employees for both State Operations and Trial Public Defender Office, to be paid at rates not exceeding those in the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act.

Requires court-collected fees under state law to be deposited to the State Central Services Fund, and allocates $3.00 per bail bond fee to counties on a quarterly basis using a distribution formula (75% equal distribution to all 75 counties, 25% per capita).