WV HB4785

Increases panel attorney compensation from $60/hour (out-of-court) and $80/hour (in-court) to a single rate of not less than $100/hour for all legal services, court waiting time, and travel

Raises paralegal compensation from $20/hour to not less than $20/hour, with Public Defender Services required to publish the actual rate annually by June 15

Increases investigator reimbursement from $30/hour to not less than $30/hour, with the actual rate published annually on the Public Defender Services website

Requires Public Defender Services to submit annual reports beginning December 1, 2026 to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources, Foster Care Ombudsman, and WV Supreme Court of Appeals on guardian ad litem services

Report must include metrics on multidisciplinary team meeting attendance, average caseloads, proceeding duration, client visits, and billable hours for panel attorneys serving as guardians ad litem