The governor’s office has approved an additional $1.25 million to fund salaries for Benton County public defenders. This comes as American Rescue Plan funds were running out. According to the Public Defenders Commission, federal funds were depleting. During a legislative council meeting Friday, state lawmakers discussed possible solutions.“Being a public defender is difficult enough. But when you’re having to worry about whether or not you’re going to have a paycheck next month, that’s even more of a challenge,” said Rep. Mark Berry. Gregg Parrish, the executive director of the Public Defender Commission, said a $4.5 million ARP is nearly depleted. The commission received the money from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to help tackle a backlog of cases due to COVID-19. “We made payroll last night. We do not have sufficient funds remaining from ARP to make the next payroll,” Parrish said. Public defenders are appointed to indigent criminal defendants across the state. Parrish said they’re struggling to keep staff. “At our high point, we had 37. Right now, we have got to have 31,” Parrish said. A federal judge’s ruling last week mandates that indigent defendants get public defenders starting at bail hearings. The commission said their staff is already stretched too thin to do this. “If you’ve got a public defender that is 30 miles away in another court, then you got to start shuffling. How do you have somebody there?” Parrish said. “Or if you don’t, I’ll probably be looking at probably a contempt citation in federal court.”The Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition said that without proper funding, those who rely on public defenders will face even longer wait times. “The majority of individuals are going to rely on public defense. They cannot afford a $3,000 or 5000, 10,000 fee for an attorney. They don’t have $100 for an incident that comes up.” said Sarah Moore, the executive director. “When we underfund public defense, individuals end up in long pretrial detention, which we know ends up putting their family’s lives in a tailspin.”Parrish said the additional $1.25 approved by the governor Friday will last six months until the biennial legislative session. At the session, Parrish said he plans to ask for more money.
The governor’s office has approved an additional $1.25 million to fund salaries for Benton County public defenders. This comes as American Rescue Plan funds were running out.
According to the Public Defenders Commission, federal funds were depleting. During a legislative council meeting Friday, state lawmakers discussed possible solutions.
“Being a public defender is difficult enough. But when you’re having to worry about whether or not you’re going to have a paycheck next month, that’s even more of a challenge,” said Rep. Mark Berry.
Gregg Parrish, the executive director of the Public Defender Commission, said a $4.5 million ARP is nearly depleted. The commission received the money from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to help tackle a backlog of cases due to COVID-19.
“We made payroll last night. We do not have sufficient funds remaining from ARP to make the next payroll,” Parrish said.
Public defenders are appointed to indigent criminal defendants across the state. Parrish said they’re struggling to keep staff.
“At our high point, we had 37. Right now, we have got to have 31,” Parrish said.
A federal judge’s ruling last week mandates that indigent defendants get public defenders starting at bail hearings. The commission said their staff is already stretched too thin to do this.
“If you’ve got a public defender that is 30 miles away in another court, then you got to start shuffling. How do you have somebody there?” Parrish said. “Or if you don’t, I’ll probably be looking at probably a contempt citation in federal court.”
The Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition said that without proper funding, those who rely on public defenders will face even longer wait times.
“The majority of individuals are going to rely on public defense. They cannot afford a $3,000 or 5000, 10,000 fee for an attorney. They don’t have $100 for an incident that comes up.” said Sarah Moore, the executive director. “When we underfund public defense, individuals end up in long pretrial detention, which we know ends up putting their family’s lives in a tailspin.”
Parrish said the additional $1.25 approved by the governor Friday will last six months until the biennial legislative session. At the session, Parrish said he plans to ask for more money.
