RCW 10.101.060 Appropriated funds—Use requirements.

(1)(a) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, the office of public defense shall disburse to applying counties that meet the requirements of RCW 10.101.050 designated funds under this chapter on a pro rata basis pursuant to the formula set forth in RCW 10.101.070 and shall disburse to eligible cities, funds pursuant to RCW 10.101.080. Each fiscal year for which it receives state funds under this chapter, a county or city must document to the office of public defense that it is meeting the standards for provision of indigent defense services as endorsed by the Washington state bar association or that the funds received under this chapter have been used to make appreciable demonstrable improvements in the delivery of public defense services, including the following:

(i) Adoption by ordinance of a legal representation plan that addresses the factors in RCW 10.101.030. The plan must apply to any contract or agency providing indigent defense services for the county or city;

(ii) Requiring attorneys who provide public defense services to attend training under RCW 10.101.050;

(iii) Requiring attorneys who handle the most serious cases to meet specified qualifications as set forth in the Washington state bar association endorsed standards for public defense services or participate in at least one case consultation per case with office of public defense resource attorneys who are so qualified. The most serious cases include all cases of murder in the first or second degree, persistent offender cases, and class A felonies. This subsection (1)(a)(iii) does not apply to cities receiving funds under RCW 10.101.050 through 10.101.080;

(iv) Requiring contracts to address the subject of compensation for extraordinary cases;

(v) Identifying funding specifically for the purpose of paying experts (A) for which public defense attorneys may file ex parte motions, or (B) which should be specifically designated within a public defender agency budget;

(vi) Identifying funding specifically for the purpose of paying investigators (A) for which public defense attorneys may file ex parte motions, and (B) which should be specifically designated within a public defender agency budget.

(b) The cost of providing counsel in cases where there is a conflict of interest shall not be borne by the attorney or agency who has the conflict.

(2) The office of public defense shall determine eligibility of counties and cities to receive state funds under this chapter. If a determination is made that a county or city receiving state funds under this chapter did not substantially comply with this section, the office of public defense shall notify the county or city of the failure to comply and unless the county or city contacts the office of public defense and substantially corrects the deficiencies within ninety days after the date of notice, or some other mutually agreed period of time, the county's or city's eligibility to continue receiving funds under this chapter is terminated. If an applying county or city disagrees with the determination of the office of public defense as to the county's or city's eligibility, the county or city may file an appeal with the advisory committee of the office of public defense within thirty days of the eligibility determination. The decision of the advisory committee is final.

[ 2005 c 157 § 4.]