This bill proposes a supplemental appropriation of $750,000 for the fiscal year 2024 to the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) specifically for its Trial Services to Indigents program. The funding is intended to hire eight additional attorneys who will focus on juvenile post-dispositional work and help reduce juvenile caseloads in high-volume areas, particularly Essex and Atlantic counties. The OPD has reported a significant increase in youth custodial sentences and the length of stay for juveniles, indicating a growing need for legal representation in these cases.

The bill amends the current appropriations act by inserting a new allocation for Direct State Services under the Trial Services to Indigents category, specifically designating the $750,000 for this purpose. This funding is crucial as the OPD anticipates a 25-30 percent increase in youth defense caseloads in the upcoming fiscal year, following the expanded mandate from P.L.2021, c.383, which requires the representation of juvenile defendants. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.