NYS BAR ASSOCIATION PRAISES SENATE AND ASSEMBLY BUDGET BILLS ON CRIMINAL LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE POOR

ALBANY, NY (03/15/2016)(readMedia)-- New York State Bar Association President David P. Miranda today commended the Senate and Assembly for including language in their one-house budget proposals that recognize the State of New York, not county governments, should bear the cost of providing constitutionally mandated legal representation of low-income individuals who are accused of crimes.

"The Senate and Assembly bills acknowledge the state government's responsibility for funding mandated representation of criminal defendants and for overseeing the quality of that representation," Miranda said.

"We urge legislators to work with Governor Andrew Cuomo to craft a budget that provides indigent criminal defendants across the state with quality representation," he said.

The deadline for passage of the state budget is March 31.

For more information on indigent criminal defense, go to: www.nysba.org/CustomTemplates/SecondaryStandard.aspx?id=62370.

The 74,000-member New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. It was founded in 1876.

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