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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1123 PRINTER'S NO. 1152
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 143
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY D. MILLER, McCLINTON, PIELLI, HILL-EVANS, VENKAT,
GIRAL, MADDEN, HOHENSTEIN, VITALI, SANCHEZ, KAZEEM,
SCHLOSSBERG, KENYATTA, DOUGHERTY, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, RIVERA,
SCOTT AND D. WILLIAMS, MARCH 24, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 26, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing March 18, 2025, as "Public Defender Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, March 18, 2025, marks the 62nd anniversary of the
United States Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright;
and
WHEREAS, The Court unanimously ruled that the Sixth Amendment
to the Constitution of the United States guarantees the right to
legal counsel as a fundamental right essential to a fair trial,
and counsel must be provided to individuals who cannot afford to
hire an attorney themselves; and
WHEREAS, The ruling spurred nationwide efforts to recruit and
train legal defense attorneys for the purpose of providing a
public defense; and
WHEREAS, These efforts were built on Clara Shortridge Foltz's
legacy, who first presented her vision for public defense in
1893; and
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WHEREAS, Public defenders fight to protect the liberty of
those at their most desperate, vulnerable moments; and
WHEREAS, Without zealous advocates, we cannot ensure that
people's rights are protected and that the innocent will not go
to prison; and
WHEREAS, In order to best serve this purpose, public
defenders must be recognized as an indispensable component of
the adversarial system and have access to the same resources as
the prosecution; and
WHEREAS, The lack of resources strains even the best
attorneys and negatively impacts the quality of a legal defense,
jeopardizing the integrity of the criminal legal system; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania ranks 45th in indigent defense funding,
with per capita spending far below the national average; and
WHEREAS, Additional State funding is necessary to alleviate
the strain placed on public defenders and ensure that we uphold
Pennsylvania's Sixth Amendment protections; and
WHEREAS, Despite ongoing challenges, public defenders
continue to show up and give their all to their clients;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize March
18, 2025, as "Public Defender Day" in Pennsylvania and honor the
hard and selfless work of public defenders across this
Commonwealth.
20250HR0143PN1152 - 2 -
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