Raised Bill No. 1230, introduced in the January Session of 2023, aims to expand access to public defender services. The bill proposes amendments to Section 51-297(f) of the general statutes, effective October 1, 2023. The existing legal definition of "indigent defendant" is being updated to include three categories: (A) a person charged with a crime punishable by imprisonment who cannot afford legal representation, (B) a child with a right to counsel under section 46b-135 who cannot afford legal representation, and (C) any person with a right to counsel under section 46b-136 who cannot afford legal representation. The previous numbering of these categories (1, 2, 3) is being deleted and replaced with alphabetical labels (A, B, C).

Additionally, the bill introduces a new subsection (2) that outlines the assessment process for determining whether a person qualifies as an indigent defendant. This assessment will be based on guidelines established by the commission, which will be made publicly available on the Division of Public Defender Services' website. The guidelines will state that individuals with an income of 250% or less of the federal poverty level may qualify as indigent defendants. The bill has received favorable recommendations from both the Judiciary Committee (JUD) and the Appropriations Committee (APP).