The Committee on Finance moves to amend the bill on page four, by striking out section §29-21-9a in its entirety;

On page three, section six, following line forty-two, by inserting a new subsection (f) to read as follows:

“(f) The agency shall establish and the executive director or his or her designee shall operate a division within the agency for the purpose of prosecuting writs of habeas corpus on behalf of eligible clients in the circuit courts of the state and before the Supreme Court of Appeals. The executive director or his or her designee shall be the director of the division. The division shall represent eligible clients upon appointment by a circuit court or the Supreme Court of Appeals. A court may appoint the division to represent an eligible person unless the appointment would create a conflict of interest or the executive director has notified the court in writing that the division’s existing caseload cannot be increased for a specified period of time without jeopardizing its ability to provide effective representation. In appointing the division, a court should determine whether the appointment of the division is the most effective use of the office considering the grounds and legal issues raised by the petitioner. The executive director may select and employ staff attorneys, paraprofessionals, and investigators to perform the duties prescribed by this subsection. The division shall maintain records of representation of eligible clients for record-keeping purposes only.”, and by redesignating the remaining subsections accordingly.

ADOPTED

REJECTED