LRB-0997/P1
CMH:amn
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
DOA:......Richter, BB0110 - Public defender: private bar attorney compensation
For 2023-2025 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Courts and procedure
Public defender
Private bar reimbursement rate
Under current law, the state public defender provides legal representation for indigent persons in criminal, delinquency, and certain related cases. The SPD assigns cases either to staff attorneys or to local private attorneys. Generally, a private attorney who is assigned a case by the SPD is paid $70 per hour for time spent related to the case and $25 per hour for time spent in travel related to a case. This bill increases the rate the private attorney is paid for cases assigned on or after July 1, 2023. Under the bill, a private attorney is paid $100 per hour for time spent related to a case, excluding travel, and $50 per hour for time spent in travel related to a case.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section
1. 977.08 (4m) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
977.08 (4m) (d) Unless otherwise provided by a rule promulgated under s. 977.02 (7r) or by a contract authorized under sub. (3) (f), for cases assigned on or after January 1, 2020, and before July 1, 2023, private local attorneys shall be paid $70 per hour for time spent related to a case, excluding travel, and $25 per hour for time spent in travel related to a case if any portion of the trip is outside the county in which the attorney's principal office is located or if the trip requires traveling a distance of more than 30 miles, one way, from the attorney's principal office.
Section
2. 977.08 (4m) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
977.08 (4m) (e) Unless otherwise provided by a rule promulgated under s. 977.02 (7r) or by a contract authorized under sub. (3) (f), for cases assigned on or after July 1, 2023, private local attorneys shall be paid $100 per hour for time spent related to a case, excluding travel, and $50 per hour for time spent in travel related to a case if any portion of the trip is outside the county in which the attorney's principal office is located or if the trip requires traveling a distance of more than 30 miles, one way, from the attorney's principal office.
(End)
