This bill aims to amend and reenact section 64-2-1 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, to authorize the Public Defender Services to establish a legislative rule concerning the payment of fees and reimbursement of expenses for court-appointed attorneys. The legislative rule in question was filed in the State Register on August 19, 2024, and is authorized under the existing authority of section 29-21-5 of the code.

The bill does not include any deletions from current law, as it focuses solely on the authorization of the new legislative rule related to the financial aspects of court-appointed legal representation. The intent is to ensure that the Public Defender Services can effectively manage and regulate the compensation and expense reimbursement for attorneys appointed to represent individuals in court.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 64-2-1