WV HB2738

Expands authority for the executive director to create, merge, or dissolve public defender corporations to include improving availability of legal representation and addressing conflicts of interest

Requires the executive director to split a public defender corporation into two separate, independent corporations when the office employs six or more assistant public defenders (including the chief public defender)

Newly created public defender corporations formed through splitting would be governed by the same board of directors as the existing corporation in that judicial circuit

Any creation, merger, or dissolution of public defender corporations still requires approval from the Indigent Defense Commission and a report to the Legislature