Members of the Public Defender Service Corporation board on Nov. 25 reviewed a package of proposed bylaws amendments designed to modernize meeting notice, remote participation and board structure, but agreed to delay final approval until a revised draft is distributed for the Jan. 27, 2026 meeting.

Chairman Attorney Black read proposed language to generalize notice requirements and emergency meeting rules so that 'regular meetings shall be held monthly at the time specified' while allowing the chair to set alternate times in emergency situations. Presenters described changes intended to remove anachronistic references to the 'Supreme Court of Guam' as a default meeting location and to allow the board more flexibility in choosing a meeting place, including the corporation's own office.

Discussion focused on three areas: scheduling and notice language (moving away from a fixed 'fourth Tuesday' requirement), remote participation and voting mechanics, and board composition and duties. On remote attendance, trustees discussed allowing members who participate remotely to be treated 'as if physically present' for quorum and voting, while some members urged the option to require roll-call votes when participation is purely virtual. The presenter described proposed edits to Article 1.7 on methods of voting and to Article 1.8 on how majority is defined.

The package also proposes changes to Article 2 to increase board size (from five to seven in the draft) and to clarify appointing authorities and term lengths. Substantive additions to Article 4 would enumerate the board's duties and powers, including establishing performance standards, indigency determination procedures, appointing an executive director and approving budgets for submission to the legislature.

Trustees identified several clean-up items, including reconciling an earlier board resolution (2-16) with the draft bylaws so the appeals process and hearing-officer language is consistent with prior action; staff agreed to incorporate those edits. Rather than vote on the toolset of edits at the Nov. 25 meeting, the board moved and seconded to postpone the formal vote and to present a consolidated, 'clean' version of the bylaws for action at the Jan. 27 meeting so trustees can review the packet in advance.

The motion to move the meeting date carried with members vocalizing 'Aye' and the chair saying the motion 'passes'; the transcript records multiple 'Aye' responses but does not list roll-call vote names or a detailed tally. The chair and staff said the clean packet and required statutory report materials will be circulated before the January meeting.