Signed by Governor Maura Healey

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases pay for public defenders in Massachusetts

Highlights:

• Specifies that the committee shall prioritize the hiring of public defenders that serve areas with unrepresented individuals awaiting counsel assignment, including counties with a recent history of private bar advocate work stoppages; provided further, that the committee shall use best efforts to hire approximately 160 new attorneys in the public defender division by the end of fiscal year 2026 and an additional 160 new attorneys in said division by the end of fiscal year 2027 (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that not later than July 15, 2026, the committee shall submit a report to the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and the Senate and House Committees on Ways and Means that shall include, but not be limited to (Sec. 2):

• The total number of public defenders employed by the committee;

• The number of public defenders hired under this item, delineated by county served;

• The total number of cases handled by the committee in fiscal year 2026, delineated by whether the case was handled by a public defender or a private bar advocate, and the type of case;

• The average caseload per public defender;

• The change to the proportion of indigent clients represented by public defenders due to the new public defenders hired under this item;

• The estimated reduction in hours billed by private bar advocates due to the increase in public defenders hired under this item and the savings associated with that reduction in hours billed; and

• Recommendations on the future balance of cases between public defenders and private bar advocates

• Appropriates $40,000,000 to increase pay for public defenders and increase the number of public defenders in Massachusetts (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text