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JBC funds additional counsel capacity after expanded Forensic Science Integrity Act eligibility
Summary
The committee approved JBC staff recommendations to add temporary staffing and funding for the Office of the State Public Defender and the Office of Alternate Defense Counsel to cover increased case eligibility under the Forensic Science Integrity Act (FSIA) and related CBI DNA analyst misconduct notices.
Scott Thompson, JBC staff, reported that FSIA expansion and recent forensic analyst misconduct notices have produced an immediate need for representation: OSPD identified roughly 1,800 eligible cases and other analyst‑related notices could implicate hundreds more. Thompson recommended approving OSPD’s request for $243,000 GF to support temporary attorneys and a paralegal and OADC’s request for $140,000 to handle similar representation demand; staff emphasized both offices were trying to limit costs by using law‑school graduates who have not yet passed the bar in some temporary roles.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about whether common‑policy legal reserves could apply; Thompson said he would look into risk‑management pools and available options. Both OSPD and OADC requests were approved on unanimous voice votes recorded as 6–0.
Thompson also described a technical correction and a staff‑initiated supplemental to correct an earlier long‑bill drafting error for OADC mandatory costs (a $5.3M adjustment); staff recommended a technical correction and the committee approved it.
