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Public defenders outline budget needs, parental‑representation expansion and reentry work
Summary
The Office of Defense Services told the Joint Finance Committee it needs funding for technology, leases and staffing tied to expansion of a parental‑representation unit, evidence‑storage costs from body‑worn cameras and additional client‑services capacity for reentry and second‑chance work.
The Office of Defense Services (ODS) presented its fiscal 2026 budget requests to the Joint Finance Committee, highlighting operational needs tied to technology, leases and a phased expansion of a parental‑representation unit created by recent legislation.
Chief Defender Kevin O'Connell opened the presentation by describing the office’s client‑centered mission and the mix of services ODS provides statewide, from intake through post‑disposition work. “Client‑centered collaborative defense” was the framing O'Connell used to describe the office’s approach, emphasizing holistic services that address the legal case and collateral issues such as housing, benefits and reentry planning.
ODS said its base budget includes roughly 87 general‑fund positions and a fiscal‑year 2025 base of about $33.4 million. The hearing record shows the office requested routine lease adjustments for Kent and Sussex county offices and a $23,400 annualization for staff added in fiscal 2025. The office also sought funding to cover rising data licensing and storage costs tied to its Axon Justice evidence management contract for body‑worn camera footage.
A substantial portion of ODS’s FY26 request is tied to phased implementation of the parental‑representation unit created by House Bill 86. The office asked to annualize positions added in FY25 and to staff an additional year‑two cohort of attorneys and support staff to expand services for parents in family‑court proceedings. ODS also requested modest operating funds and one‑time furniture costs to support new personnel.
O'Connell told the committee ODS handles the majority of justice‑involved clients in the state and said additional staff or case‑support resources would help reduce weekend work and long after‑hours filings. He also flagged policy priorities the office supports, including expanding pathways for compassionate release and improving reentry services to reduce recidivism.
The committee asked ODS for follow‑up on specific lease costs and to clarify the timing and locations of the parental‑representation hires; ODS officials said they will provide that information. Lawmakers also discussed civil asset forfeiture and the potential for right‑to‑counsel protections in related proceedings.
The ODS presentation included performance numbers for FY24: the office said it represented roughly 13,000 individuals across about 22,500 cases and provided per‑court workload snapshots. O'Connell said the office is pursuing a formal workload study to align staffing needs to modern defense tasks and to quantify how many staff are required to meet national workload standards.
ODS credited recent recruitment work and a bar‑pass pipeline program for reducing long‑term vacancies and said continued investments in support staff — including intake, post‑disposition and client‑services coordinators — would yield better outcomes for clients and lighten attorney caseloads.
The committee recessed the session after ODS concluded and scheduled follow‑up briefings before budget markup.
