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Legislation aims to keep public defense from spinning into crisis
EVERETT — Lawmakers believe the public defense system in Washington is on the cusp of crisis.
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High student debt and low wages in the profession have led to fewer people entering public defense, a system already facing a lawyer shortage.
On top of that, cities and counties are left with the burden of paying for the public defense system, with little assistance from the state.
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State Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco, wants to move forward legislation to address the problem, by requiring the state pay for at least half of all public defense services in counties by 2028.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/legislation-aims-to-keep-public-defense-from-spinning-into-crisis/