The bill addresses the critical shortage of public defense attorneys and professional staff in Washington State, aiming to enhance recruitment and retention efforts. It recognizes the barriers that hinder the entry of new attorneys and staff into public defense roles, particularly in underserved areas. To combat this issue, the bill introduces a training program for public defense mitigation specialists and paralegals, which will be administered by the office of public defense. This program will cover essential topics such as public defense standards, client communication, and ethical considerations, while also providing networking opportunities. The training will be available in both in-person and remote formats, with a goal of training at least one class of paralegals and one class of mitigation specialists by June 30, 2027.

Additionally, the bill establishes a pool of public defense paralegals to support contracted counsel on an as-needed basis, prioritizing solo practitioners and small law firms. The office of public defense is tasked with ensuring that procurement notices for this paralegal pool include outreach to justice-impacted individuals and those with relevant paralegal training. By June 30, 2027, the office is required to have at least 10 full-time paralegals in this pool. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.