News & Events
Message from CPCS General Counsel Anthony Benedetti re: CPCS Budget
The Senate Ways and Means Committee (SW&M) released its Fiscal Year 2009 budget proposal today. The budget proposes $140,345,728 in the 0321-1510 Private Attorney Compensation account and $11,456,513 in the 0321-1520 Indigent Court Cost account. Unfortunately, there is no increase in the hourly rates.
There is some good news, however. Both the HW&M and SW&M proposals would provide for approximately 98% of our expected FY’09 spending in the private attorney compensation account. This is the first time that both branches have proposed close to full funding in their respective proposals which means that CPCS will start the fiscal year with close to full funding in the private attorney line item. Thus, we are very pleased that both branches have seen fit to propose an appropriation that is a much greater percentage of our request and thus would require a minimal supplemental budget at the end of FY’09.
The amount that CPCS requested for the indigent court cost account was $16,405,620 which means that the HW&M proposal, if adopted, would provide for approximately 70% of our expected FY’09 spending.
Also, Senate Ways & Means, in outside section #52, proposes language amending Section 12 of Chapter 211D that which would prohibit CPCS from paying any bill that was submitted more than 12 months after the completion of a case unless a waiver is granted by the Chief Counsel due to serious illness or other extenuating circumstances.
The budget specifics are available at: http://www.mass.gov/legis/09budget/senate/index.htm. The proposal next goes before the full Senate with debate to begin next week.
Regarding the needed supplemental funds for FY’08, we are still advocating for immediate passage of the proposal currently pending in House Ways and Means. Attorneys and vendors should contact their Representative to ask for their assistance in getting this critical item sent to the Governor and passed into law. Contact information for legislators is available at: http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenuh.htm.
Please email abenedetti@publiccounsel.net with any questions.