Bill Text: CA AB625 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: State Public Defender: indigent defense: study.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-10-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 583, Statutes of 2021. [AB625 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB625-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  March 25, 2021

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 625

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Introduced by Assembly Member Arambula

February 12, 2021

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An act to amend Section 27700 of add and repeal Section 15403 of the Government Code, relating to county government. criminal defense.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 625, as amended, Arambula. County public defender. State Public Defender: indigent defense: study.

Existing law authorizes the State Public Defender to represent any person financially unable to employ counsel in specified matters. The State Public Defender is authorized to employ deputies and other employees, and establish and operate offices, as they may need for the proper performance of their duties, and to contract with county public defenders, private attorneys, and nonprofit corporations for participation in the representation of eligible persons.

This bill would direct the State Public Defender to undertake a study to determine the appropriate ratio of public defenders and indigent defense attorneys to misdemeanor and felony indigent defendants and submit a report with their findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2024.

Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors of a county to establish the office of public defender for the county. Existing law further authorizes a county to join with one or more counties to establish and maintain a public defender’s office to serve the counties.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 15403 is added to the Government Code, to read:

15403.

 (a) The State Public Defender shall undertake a study to determine the appropriate ratio of public defenders and indigent defense attorneys to misdemeanor and felony indigent defendants and submit a report with their findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2024.

(b) (1) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2028.

SECTION 1.Section 27700 of the Government Code is amended to read:

27700.

The board of supervisors of a county may establish the office of public defender for the county. A county may join with one or more counties to establish and maintain the office of public defender to serve the counties.