as introduced - 80th Legislature (1997 - 1998) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
Engrossments | ||
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Introduction | Posted on 02/02/1998 |
1.1 A bill for an act 1.2 relating to public defense; correcting, updating, and 1.3 clarifying the public defender law; amending Minnesota 1.4 Statutes 1996, sections 611.14; 611.20, subdivision 3; 1.5 611.216, subdivision 1a; 611.26, subdivisions 2, 3, 1.6 and 9; and 611.27, subdivisions 1, 2, and 7; Minnesota 1.7 Statutes 1997 Supplement, sections 611.25, subdivision 1.8 3; and 611.27, subdivision 4. 1.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 1.10 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 611.14, is 1.11 amended to read: 1.12 611.14 [RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY PUBLIC DEFENDER.] 1.13 The following persons who are financially unable to obtain 1.14 counsel are entitled to be represented by a public defender: 1.15 (1) a person charged with a felonyor, gross misdemeanor, 1.16 or misdemeanor including a person charged under sections 629.01 1.17 to 629.29; 1.18 (2) a person appealing from a conviction of a felony or 1.19 gross misdemeanor, or a person convicted of a felony or gross 1.20 misdemeanor, who is pursuing a postconviction proceeding and who 1.21 has not already had a direct appeal of the conviction; 1.22 (3) a person who is entitled to be represented by counsel 1.23 under section 609.14, subdivision 2; or 1.24 (4) a minor who is entitled to be represented by counsel 1.25 under section 260.155, subdivision 2, if the judge of the1.26juvenile court concerned has requested and received the approval1.27of a majority of the district court judges of the judicial2.1district to utilize the services of the public defender in such2.2cases, and approval of the compensation on a monthly, hourly, or2.3per diem basis to be paid for such services under section2.4260.251, subdivision 2, clause (e); or2.5(5) a person, entitled by law to be represented by counsel,2.6charged with an offense within the trial jurisdiction of a2.7district court, if the trial judge or a majority of the trial2.8judges of the court concerned have requested and received2.9approval of a majority of the district court judges of the2.10judicial district to utilize the services of the public defender2.11in such cases and approval of the compensation on a monthly,2.12hourly, or per diem basis to be paid for such services by the2.13county within the court's jurisdiction. 2.14 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 611.20, 2.15 subdivision 3, is amended to read: 2.16 Subd. 3. [REIMBURSEMENT.] In each fiscal year, the state 2.17 treasurer shall deposit thefirst $180,000 in the general fund.2.18 paymentsin excess of $180,000 shall be depositedin the general 2.19 fund andcreditedcredit them to a separate account with the 2.20 board of public defense. The amount credited to this account is 2.21 appropriated to the board of public defense. 2.22 The balance of this account does not cancel but is 2.23 available until expended. Expenditures by the board from this 2.24 account for each judicial district public defense office must be 2.25 based on the amount of the payments received by the state from 2.26 the courts in each judicial district. 2.27 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 611.216, 2.28 subdivision 1a, is amended to read: 2.29Subd. 1a. [INDIAN CHILD WELFARE DEFENSE CORPORATION2.30GRANTS.] (a) The board of public defense shall establish2.31procedures for accepting applications for funding from an Indian2.32child welfare defense corporation located in the American Indian2.33community. The board must consult with the Minnesota Indian2.34affairs council before making a grant under this subdivision.2.35(b) An "Indian child welfare defense corporation" refers to2.36an American Indian nonprofit law corporation, having an American3.1Indian majority on its board of directors, specializing3.2primarily in providing culturally appropriate legal services to3.3indigent clients or tribal representatives involved in a case3.4governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act, United States Code,3.5title 25, section 1901 et seq., or the Minnesota Indian family3.6preservation act, sections 257.35 to 257.3579.3.7(c) An Indian child welfare defense corporation is a3.8"public defense corporation" for the purposes of sections 611.143.9to 611.271.3.10 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 3.11 611.25, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 3.12 Subd. 3. [DUTIES.]The state public defender shall prepare3.13a biennial report to the board and a report to the governor and3.14the supreme court on the operation of the state public3.15defender's office, district defender systems, and public defense3.16corporations. The biennial report is due on or before the3.17beginning of the legislative session following the end of the3.18biennium.The state public defender may require the reporting 3.19 of statistical data, budget information, and other cost factors 3.20 by the chief district public defenders and appointed counsel 3.21 systems. The state public defender shall design and conduct 3.22 programs for the training of all state and district public 3.23 defenders, appointed counsel, and attorneys for public defense 3.24 corporations funded under section 611.26. The state public 3.25 defender shall establish policies and procedures to administer 3.26 the district public defender system, consistent with standards 3.27 adopted by the state board of public defense. 3.28 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 611.26, 3.29 subdivision 2, is amended to read: 3.30 Subd. 2. [APPOINTMENT; TERMS.] The state board of public 3.31 defense shall appoint a chief district public defender for each 3.32 judicial district. When appointing a chief district public 3.33 defender, the state board of public defense membership shall be 3.34 increased to include two residents of the district appointed by 3.35 the chief judge of the district to reflect the characteristics 3.36 of the population served by the public defender in that 4.1 district. The additional members shall serve only in the 4.2 capacity of selecting the district public defender. The ad hoc 4.3 state board of public defense shall appoint a chief district 4.4 public defender only after requesting and giving reasonable time 4.5 to receive any recommendations from the public, the local bar 4.6 association, and the judges of the district, and the county4.7commissioners within the district. Each chief district public 4.8 defender shall be a qualified attorney,licensed to practice law 4.9 in this state. The chief district public defender shall be 4.10 appointed for a term of four years, beginning January 1, 4.11 pursuant to the following staggered term schedule: (1) in19924.12 2000, the second and eighth districts; (2) in19932001, the 4.13 first, third, fourth, and tenth districts; (3) in19942002, the 4.14 fifth and ninth districts; and (4) in19951999, the sixth and 4.15 seventh districts. The chief district public defenders shall 4.16 serve for four-year terms and may be removed for cause upon the 4.17 order of the state board of public defense. Vacancies in the 4.18 office shall be filled by the appointing authority for the 4.19 unexpired term. 4.20 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 611.26, 4.21 subdivision 3, is amended to read: 4.22 Subd. 3. [COMPENSATION.] (a) The compensation of the chief 4.23 district public defendershall be set by the board of public4.24defense.and the compensation of each assistant district public 4.25 defender shall be set by thechief district public defender with4.26the approval of theboard of public defense. To assist the 4.27 board of public defense in determining compensation under this 4.28 subdivision, counties shall provide to the board information on 4.29 the compensation of county attorneys, including salaries and 4.30 benefits, rent, secretarial staff, and other pertinent budget 4.31 data. For purposes of this subdivision, compensation means 4.32 salaries, cash payments, and employee benefits including paid 4.33 time off and group insurance benefits, and other direct and 4.34 indirect items of compensation including the value of office 4.35 space provided by the employer. 4.36 (b) This subdivision does not limit the rights of public 5.1 defenders to collectively bargain with their employers. 5.2 Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 611.26, 5.3 subdivision 9, is amended to read: 5.4Subd. 9. [INSURANCE.] Notwithstanding any other law to the5.5contrary, district public defenders and assistant district5.6public defenders, and their employees and their dependents, may5.7elect to enroll in the appropriate life insurance, hospital,5.8medical and dental benefits, and optional coverages of their5.9respective host county, as designated by the state board of5.10public defense under section 611.27, subdivision 2, at the time,5.11in the manner, and under conditions of eligibility as5.12established by the host county for its employees. The host5.13county must provide for payroll deductions to be made in the5.14same manner and under the same conditions as provided for an5.15eligible county employee and the employee's dependents. Nothing5.16in this subdivision obligates the state or county to payments in5.17the absence of an appropriation for those purposes.5.18 Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 611.27, 5.19 subdivision 1, is amended to read: 5.20 Subdivision 1. [COUNTY PAYMENT RESPONSIBILITY.] (a)The5.21total compensation and expenses, including office equipment and5.22supplies, of the district public defender are to be paid by the5.23county or counties comprising the judicial district.5.24(b)A chief district public defender shall annually submit 5.25 a comprehensive budget to the state board of public defense. 5.26 The budget shall be in compliance with standards and forms 5.27 required by the boardand must, at a minimum, include detailed5.28substantiation as to all revenues and expenditures. The chief 5.29 district public defender shall, at times and in the form 5.30 required by the board, submit reports to the board concerning 5.31 its operations, including the number of cases handled and funds 5.32 expended for these services. 5.33Within ten days after an assistant district public defender5.34is appointed, the district public defender shall certify to the5.35state board of public defense the compensation that has been5.36recommended for the assistant.6.1(c) The state board of public defense shall transmit the6.2proposed budget of each district public defender to the6.3respective district court administrators and county budget6.4officers for comment before the board's final approval of the6.5budget. The board shall determine and certify to the respective6.6county boards a final comprehensive budget for the office of the6.7district public defender that includes all expenses. After the6.8board determines the allocation of the state funds authorized6.9pursuant to paragraph (e), the board shall apportion the6.10expenses of the district public defenders among the several6.11counties and each county shall pay its share in monthly6.12installments. The county share is the proportion of the total6.13expenses that the population in the county bears to the total6.14population in the district as determined by the last federal6.15census. If the district public defender or an assistant6.16district public defender is temporarily transferred to a county6.17not situated in that public defender's judicial district, said6.18county shall pay the proportionate part of that public6.19defender's expenses for the services performed in said county.6.20(d) Reimbursement for actual and necessary travel expenses6.21in the conduct of the office of the district public defender6.22shall be charged to either (1) the general expenses of the6.23office, (2) the general expenses of the district for which the6.24expenses were incurred if outside the district, or (3) the6.25office of the state public defender if the services were6.26rendered for that office.6.27(e)(b) Money appropriated to the state board of public 6.28 defense for the board's administration, for the state public 6.29 defender, for the judicial district public defenders, and for 6.30 the public defense corporations shall be expended as determined 6.31 by the board. In distributing funds to district public 6.32 defenders, the board shall consider the geographic distribution 6.33 of public defenders, the equity of compensation among the 6.34 judicial districts, public defender case loads, and the results 6.35 of the weighted case load study. 6.36 Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 611.27, 7.1 subdivision 2, is amended to read: 7.2Subd. 2. [STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC DEFENSE; DESIGNATION OF7.3HOST COUNTY.] The state board of public defense, after receiving7.4an appropriation from the legislature for payment of district7.5public defender costs, shall designate the county officials of7.6one county within the district as a host county to reimburse the7.7expenses of the district public defender. A county selected by7.8the board must serve as the designee. The county share assessed7.9under subdivision 1 against each county of the district must be7.10paid to the county treasurer of the designated county. The7.11board may reimburse the designated county for extra costs7.12incurred.7.13 Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 7.14 611.27, subdivision 4, is amended to read: 7.15Subd. 4. [COUNTY PORTION OF COSTS.] That portion of7.16subdivision 1 directing counties to pay the costs of public7.17defense service shall not be in effect after January 1, 1995.7.18This subdivision only relates to costs associated with felony,7.19gross misdemeanor, juvenile, and misdemeanor public defense7.20services. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision,7.21in the first, fifth, seventh, ninth, and tenth judicial7.22districts, the cost of juvenile and misdemeanor public defense7.23services for cases opened prior to January 1, 1995, shall remain7.24the responsibility of the respective counties in those7.25districts, even though the cost of these services may occur7.26after January 1, 1995.7.27 Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 611.27, 7.28 subdivision 7, is amended to read: 7.29 Subd. 7. [PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICES; RESPONSIBILITY.] 7.30Notwithstanding subdivision 4,The state's obligation for the 7.31 costs of the public defender services is limited to the 7.32 appropriations made to the board of public defense.Services7.33and expenses in cases where adequate representation cannot be7.34provided by the district public defender shall be the7.35responsibility of the state board of public defense.7.36 Sec. 12. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 8.1 Section 2 is effective July 1, 1999.