HB 1063 Summary: Expert Witnesses

• Requires courts to pay examining committee fees in intellectual disability and autism cases, with fees determined by the court and paid from county general revenue.

• Shifts payment responsibility for indigent ward examination fees from the state to the court in guardianship proceedings.

• Authorizes courts to initially appoint one expert to determine criminal defendant competency, but requires evaluation by at least two experts before commitment; allows up to two additional expert evaluations at the requesting party's expense if findings are disputed.

• Requires courts to pay reasonable fees for expert evaluations and testimony in criminal competency cases, insanity defenses, intellectual disability cases, and death penalty proceedings; shifts burden of paying for insanity and pregnancy defense experts to the defendant rather than the county.

• Applies similar expert evaluation and payment standards to juvenile delinquency cases and requires the Agency for Persons with Disabilities to select experts for intellectual disability and autism evaluations.

• Effective date: July 1, 2018.