SENATE BILL 865

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Michael S. Sanchez

AN ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER DEPARTMENT FOR TWENTY ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME-EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES, A FEE STRUCTURE FOR CONTRACTING OF REPRESENTATION IN DEATH PENALTY CASES AND SALARY INCREASES FOR PUBLIC DEFENDERS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. APPROPRIATION.--

          A. Nine hundred ninety thousand seven hundred dollars ($990,700) is appropriated from the general fund to the public defender department for expenditure in fiscal year 2006 in the following amounts for twenty additional full-time- equivalent employees:

                (1) two hundred eleven thousand nine hundred dollars ($211,900) to provide three attorneys and one secretary for the Albuquerque felony office;

                (2) two hundred eleven thousand nine hundred dollars ($211,900) to provide three attorneys and one secretary for the Bernalillo county metropolitan court office;

                (3) two hundred eleven thousand nine hundred dollars ($211,900) to provide three attorneys and one secretary for the Clovis office;

                (4) one hundred twelve thousand eight hundred dollars ($112,800) to provide three receptionists for the Taos, Aztec and Alamogordo offices;

                (5) eighty-seven thousand six hundred dollars ($87,600) to provide two paralegals for the Clovis and Gallup areas;

                (6) fifty-eight thousand nine hundred dollars ($58,900) to provide one information technology support staff employee for offices in the southern part of the state;

                (7) fifty-eight thousand one hundred dollars ($58,100) to provide one attorney for the Santa Fe office; and

                (8) thirty-seven thousand six hundred dollars ($37,600) to provide one data entry clerk for the contract counsel legal services program.

          B. Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public defender department for expenditure in fiscal year 2006 to provide a fee structure for contracting for representation of defendants in death penalty cases.

          C. One million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public defender department for expenditure in fiscal year 2006 to provide salary increases for public defenders.

          D. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2006 shall revert to the general fund.

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