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DOAS details $4.8M proposed seed for wrongful-conviction trust fund, OSSA to handle adjudications
Summary
DOAS told the subcommittee the governor recommends $4.8 million to seed the new Wrongful Conviction Compensation Trust Fund (created by SB 244), plus $200,000 for Office of State Administrative Hearings to support adjudication; DOAS said seven cases had advanced through preliminary hearings and 13 claims remained pending.
Rebecca Sullivan, Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services, described the governor’s recommendation to seed a new Wrongful Conviction Compensation Trust Fund with $4,800,000 and to provide $200,000 to the Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSSA) for adjudication of claims under SB 244. Sullivan said the recommendation was based on seven cases that had advanced through preliminary hearings and that, as of Feb. 23, three decisions awarding compensation or attorney’s fees had been issued and 13 claims were pending.
Lisa Voggs, deputy chief judge at OSSA, explained the statute went into effect July 1, 2025, and that OSSA had trained judges and staff to hold adjudications. She said approximately 21 claims have been denied to date and others granted; she described the awards formula in the Wrongful Conviction and Incarceration Act as roughly $75,000 per year of wrongful incarceration (adjusting for inflation) with an additional payment for a death-row exoneree and potential recovery of reasonable attorney’s fees.
On process, Sullivan and Voggs said no payment is issued until a final judgment is entered (after appeals), at which point OSSA coordinates with the State Treasurer to issue payment.
Next steps: The committee accepted the presentation; staff offered to follow up with specifics about the denied and granted claims if members requested more detail.
