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Franklin County urges Cuomo to sign Public Defense Mandate Relief Act to relieve local costs
Summary
The Legislature unanimously adopted a resolution urging Governor Cuomo to sign S.8114/A.10706, the Public Defense Mandate Relief Act, which would phase-in state reimbursement for indigent defense costs from 2017 to 2023 and relieve counties of mandated expenses tied to the Hurrell-Harring settlement obligations.
The Franklin County Legislature unanimously adopted Resolution No. 229 urging Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign the Public Defense Mandate Relief Act (S.8114/A.10706).
The resolution cites the constitutional right to counsel affirmed in Gideon v. Wainwright and notes that the bill passed by the State Senate and Assembly would require New York State to reimburse counties for expenditures made to provide representation to those unable to afford counsel, beginning in 2017 and incrementally reaching 100% reimbursement by 2023. The resolution also references the Hurrell-Harring settlement and states the county’s view that state funding limited to settlement counties creates unequal systems of representation.
The Legislature directed copies of the resolution be sent to Governor Cuomo, legislative leaders, local assembly and senate members including Speaker Heastie and Senator Betty Little, the Indigent Legal Services Office, defenders associations and the New York State Association of Counties.
The motion to adopt was made and seconded on the record and the resolution was adopted unanimously.
