Senate approves new statewide office of indigent legal services
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South Dakota Senators Wednesday passed a bill to establish an Office of Indigent Legal Services and a board to oversee it. They also added a $3-million one-time appropriation to fund it.
HB1057 passed 33-0.
The Office will help take some financial strain off counties by handling criminal appeals and some appellate matters.
Legislators anticipate that this is a first step toward an eventual statewide system of indigent defense in the future.
The bill now returns to the House to concur with the addition of the appropriation.
February 29, 2024
