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Subcommittee backs raises for entry-level public defenders, smaller-than-requested boosts for expert witnesses and IT needs
Summary
The General Government Subcommittee recommended raising Public Defender 1 starting pay toward $80,000 (not to exceed $1.3 million total), approved limited cell-phone service funding for FY2026 and full-year funding for FY2027, reallocated unspent capital defense funds to assigned counsel, and set $1 million for expert witness caseloads in FY2027.
The General Government Subcommittee of Ways and Means voted to send a set of budget recommendations to the full committee after debating several additions to the indigent defense budget.
Chair opened the discussion by saying the budget is tight and proposed raising the Public Defender 1 starting salary "from the current level of 62,500 to 80,000." He said there are about 45 PD1 positions and about 40 PD2 positions and estimated the immediate cost "around $1,100,000," while acknowledging agency materials put a higher figure at $1,700,000 to avoid salary compression.
Miss Pratt, staff, told the committee the agency described "$1,100,000 is in the agency's words the bare minimum that would allow the public defender's p d ones to reach the $80,000." She said the $1.7 million figure would also raise some current PD1 incumbents who started above $62,500 to similar levels to avoid…
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