MS HB1819

Appropriates $4,554,947.00 from the State General Fund and $60,000.00 from special funds to the Office of State Public Defender for fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025).

Authorizes 25 permanent positions for the Office of State Public Defender with no time-limited positions.

Allocates $446,521.00 for three full-time assistant public defenders, $278,500.00 for Indigent Parental Representation to contract with attorneys for abuse and neglect cases, and $235,926.00 for a Youth Defender Program.

Establishes performance targets for Capital Defense cases including 75% of trial cases opened within one year and maintaining an average of 8 reversals due to ineffective assistance of counsel.

Requires the Office of State Public Defender to maintain detailed accounting and personnel records in the same format as fiscal year 2024 and report performance measures in the fiscal year 2026 budget request.