Bill > SB5453

This bill addresses the critical workforce shortage of public defense attorneys and staff by establishing two key initiatives through the Office of Public Defense (OPD). First, the bill creates a training program for new public defense mitigation specialists and paralegals, which will provide comprehensive instruction on public defense standards, client communication, and ethical practices, with a goal of offering training to at least one class of each professional group by June 30, 2027. The training can be delivered in-person or remotely and will emphasize recruiting justice-impacted and formerly incarcerated individuals. Second, the bill establishes a public defense paralegal pool to provide support to contracted counsel, with a specific focus on helping solo practitioners, very small private law firms, and postconviction representation attorneys. The paralegal pool aims to have at least 10 full-time paralegals by June 30, 2027, and will also prioritize recruiting justice-impacted individuals with paralegal training or relevant work experience. The bill recognizes the constitutional importance of ensuring the right to counsel and aims to remove barriers to public defense practice by creating these supportive pathways. The provisions will take effect on July 1, 2026, subject to available appropriations.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5453&Year=2025&Initiative=false