Bill > H1735

This bill amends the laws related to the appointment of indigent defense counsel. The key provisions are: 1. It removes the requirement for the court to review a defendant's eligibility for court-appointed counsel every 6 months. 2. It allows the court to determine at arraignment that a defendant charged with a misdemeanor or municipal ordinance violation will not receive a sentence of incarceration, and therefore does not require court-appointed counsel, unless the court later revokes that determination or the prosecution notifies the court they will recommend incarceration. 3. It establishes a committee to define a new standard of "indigency" for determining who qualifies for court-appointed counsel. 4. It establishes a separate committee to study which state agency would be best equipped to perform the indigency verification functions required by the law.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H1735