H.B. 396 Summary

• Increases hourly rate for court-appointed counsel from $90 to $150 per hour.

• Doubles maximum allowable fees for criminal cases: felony cases from $6,000 to $12,000; misdemeanor jury trials from $3,000 to $6,000; misdemeanor jury waived from $1,500 to $3,000; appeals from $5,000 to $9,000; petty misdemeanors from $900 to $1,800; and other administrative/judicial proceedings from $3,000 to $6,000.

• Allows courts to approve payments exceeding these maximums when certified as necessary for fair compensation and approved by the administrative judge.

• Appropriates $2,890,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $2,890,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027 to fund the increased compensation.

• Takes effect July 1, 2025.