Public defense recruitment

AN ACT Relating to public defense recruitment and retention; 1
adding new sections to chapter 2.70 RCW; creating a new section; and 2
providing an effective date. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes a critical 5
workforce shortage of public defense attorneys and public defense 6
professional staff, who are necessary to ensure the right to counsel 7
and due process guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States 8
and the Washington state Constitution. The legislature recognizes 9
that a variety of barriers impede recruitment and retention of public 10
defense attorneys and public defense professional staff, particularly 11
impacting certain underserved areas of the state. The legislature 12
intends to promote policies that remove barriers and streamline 13
pathways to public defense practice for attorneys and professional 14
legal staff.15
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 2.70 RCW 16
to read as follows: 17
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this 18
specific purpose, the office of public defense shall administer a 19
S-0757.1
SENATE BILL 5453
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Slatter, Torres, Chapman, Frame, Hasegawa, Holy, Saldaña,
and Valdez
Read first time 01/23/25. Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.
p. 1 SB 5453
training program for public defense mitigation specialists and 1
paralegals who are new to public defense. 2
(2) The training program must incorporate public defense and 3
applicable standards, client communication, and relevant ethical 4
standards. The training program must also offer networking 5
opportunities. 6
(3) The training program may be provided in an in-person or 7
remote format and may incorporate recorded resources.8
(4) Recruitment for the training program should include outreach 9
to justice-impacted persons and formerly incarcerated persons.10
(5) By June 30, 2027, the office of public defense shall offer 11
the training to at least one class of paralegals and one class of 12
public defense mitigation specialists. 13
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 2.70 RCW 14
to read as follows: 15
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this 16
specific purpose, the office of public defense shall administer a 17
pool of public defense paralegals to provide support to the office of 18
public defense contracted counsel on an as-needed basis.19
(2) In providing paralegal support to contracted counsel pursuant 20
to this section, the office of public defense shall prioritize solo 21
practitioners and very small private law firms contracted with the 22
office of public defense, as well as practitioners contracted to 23
provide postconviction representation. 24
(3) Procurement notices for the paralegal pool should include 25
outreach to justice-impacted persons and formerly incarcerated 26
persons who have paralegal training or prior relevant work 27
experience. 28
(4) By June 30, 2027, the office of public defense shall have at 29
least 10 full-time paralegals in the public defense paralegal pool.30
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026.31
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p. 2 SB 5453