HI HB1608

Appropriates $627,300 from general revenues for fiscal year 2024-2025 to fund four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) deputy public defender III positions in the office of the public defender.

Requires that one of the four deputy public defender positions be assigned to the family court section.

Restores positions previously defunded by Act 9, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020, which had abolished six of seven positions cut from the public defender's office.

Declares that the appropriation will exceed the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 under Hawaii Constitution Article VII, Section 9 and Hawaii Revised Statutes sections 37-91 and 37-93.

Takes effect on April 14, 2112.