H. B. 2875

(By Delegates Kuhn, H. White, Thompson, Heck, Flanigan, Willison and Azinger)


[Originating in the Committee on Government Organization]

[April 1,1997]





A BILL to amend and reenact section three, article twenty-one, chapter twenty-nine of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, continuing public defender services until the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section three, article twenty-one, chapter twenty-nine of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty- one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
§29-21-3. Establishment of public defender services, termination date.

There is hereby created an executive agency known as public defender services. The agency shall administer, coordinate and evaluate programs by which the state provides legal representation to indigent persons, monitor the progress of various delivery systems, and recommend improvements. The agency shall maintain its office at the state capital.
Pursuant to the provisions of article ten, chapter four of this code, public defender services shall continue to exist until the first day of July,
one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight .

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to place public defender services under sunset review. This bill continues the public defender services until July 1, 1998, pursuant to the provisions of the West Virginia Sunset Law.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.