Public Defender Board regulation and pay of private bar attorneys and making an appropriation. (FE)

Under current law, the board may promulgate rules to assure that representation of indigent clients by the private bar is at the same level as the representation provided by the state public defender. Under the bill, the board's authority to promulgate rules is expanded to include setting standards for and imposing conditions upon private bar attorney certification, decertification, or recertification to represent clients. The bill also adds the following list of reasons as grounds for which the office of the state public defender may exclude a private bar attorney from a public defender list: 1) the attorney has failed to meet minimum attorney performance standards adopted by the state public defender; 2) the attorney has failed to comply with the supreme court rules of professional conduct for attorneys; 3) the attorney has engaged in conduct that is contrary to the interests of clients, the interests of justice, or the interests of the state public defender; or 4) the state public defender learns of any information that raises a concern about the attorney's character, performance, ability, or behavior.