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New State Public Defender agency seeks millions to cover transcripts, contracts and staffing
Summary
The newly created Idaho State Public Defender office told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee it needs supplemental and ongoing funds — including spending authority to use a $39 million cash transfer — to cover transcript costs, higher contract rates and hires as counties are onboarded.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee received a detailed budget briefing on the new Idaho State Public Defender office, created by statute in Title 19, Chapter 60. Legislative analyst Christopher Lahoset said the office’s budget rests largely on a dedicated State Public Defense Fund seeded by a $39 million transfer from the tax relief fund and that appropriation authority for that cash transfer was omitted in last year’s bill.
Lahoset briefed the committee on the agency’s requests: a one‑time supplemental $2.5 million in the current fiscal year to allow the office to fully use the $39 million transfer; a one‑time $390,200 for transcript costs following an Idaho Supreme Court ruling in State v. Blasick that the state is responsible for transcript…
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