Bill > H883

This bill proposes several changes to the laws regarding indigent defense counsel in Massachusetts. It removes the requirement for the Committee for Public Counsel Services to review the indigency determination of defendants every 6 months. It also establishes that defendants charged with certain misdemeanors or municipal ordinance violations will not be appointed counsel if the judge determines at arraignment that the sentence will not include incarceration, though the judge can later revoke this determination. Additionally, the bill creates two committees - one to establish a new definition of "indigency" for the purpose of verifying asset information, and another to study which state agency would be best equipped to perform the indigency verification functions.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H883