MO SB89

Repeals the state public defender commission and related centralized public defender system, eliminating the position of state public defender director and associated state-level administration.

Transfers responsibility for providing indigent defense services to individual circuit courts, with each circuit's presiding judge (or majority of judges in circuits with 3+ judges) establishing which defense method to use: assigned counsel, contract counsel, or public defenders.

Defines "indigent defense system" as any method or mixture of methods for providing legal representation, including assigned counsel appointed by circuit courts, contract counsel, or public defenders employed by circuit courts.

Requires counties to provide office space and utilities for the circuit indigent defense system, with the state funding all other expenses through appropriations; presiding judges oversee contracts, compensation, and administration with approval from the office of state courts administrator.

Maintains existing provisions for determining client eligibility, confidentiality of case files, collection of liens and judgments for defense costs, and client reimbursement obligations, while shifting administrative authority from state directors to circuit courts.