Bill > HCR18

This concurrent resolution establishes a task force to study and evaluate funding mechanisms for the state public defender's office, drawing on constitutional and legal precedents that guarantee legal representation for indigent defendants. The task force will comprise 11 members, including legislative committee chairs, representatives from both the House and Senate, the state public defender, a Louisiana Supreme Court justice, the Louisiana District Attorneys Association executive director, and a gubernatorial appointee. The resolution mandates that the task force hold its initial meeting by August 11, 2025, with the office of the state public defender providing administrative support. The task force is required to produce a comprehensive report detailing its findings and recommendations by December 31, 2025, which must be submitted to the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library. The resolution is grounded in the Sixth Amendment right to counsel, the landmark Gideon v. Wainwright Supreme Court decision, and Louisiana's constitutional provisions ensuring legal representation for indigent defendants, with the ultimate goal of establishing a sustainable funding source for public defender services.

Justice

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=25rs&b=HCR18&sbi=y