HB 18-1353

House Bill 18-1353, which has been signed into law, establishes a grant program that helps local governments cover some or all of the costs for providing defense lawyers to people appearing in municipal court for the first time. This program will end on September 1, 2023, and before then, there will be a review by another department to assess its effectiveness. The bill also includes funding for this grant program. This means that local governments can now apply for grants to help pay for defense lawyers in municipal courts until the program is set to expire next year.

Official Summary

The bill creates the defense counsel on first appearance grant program (program) in the division of local government (division) within the department of local affairs. The division shall award grants from the program to reimburse local governments, in part or in full, for costs associated with the provision of defense counsel to defendants at their first appearances in municipal courts. The program is repealed, effective September 1, 2023. Before such repeal, the department of regulatory agencies shall review the program. The bill makes an appropriation. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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