Governor Brad Little has signed Senate Bill 1373, the economic development budget for the coming fiscal year, including an ongoing $2.2 million cut to the Idaho State Public Defender office.
In response, Idaho Democratic leaders released the following statements:
Senate Democratic Leader Melissa Wintrow:
“Idaho spent years in court because people were going to court without adequate legal representation. That is what led to the creation of the State Public Defender in the first place.
“This system was built to fix that failure. It is still being stood up, working through staffing challenges, and trying to stabilize a system that was inconsistent from county to county. Cutting $2.2 million now pulls resources out at the exact moment they are needed to make this work.
“With Tucker v. Idaho still pending before the Idaho Supreme Court, that makes this cut even more reckless. Idaho is trying to defend its record while undercutting the very system it created to meet its constitutional duty. That weakens the state’s constitutional obligation and its position in court, and risks putting Idaho right back where it started.”
House Democratic Leader Ilana Rubel:
“Just last year, Governor Little called for more investment in public defense. Now he has signed a budget that cuts it.
“When the state charges someone with a crime, it brings prosecutors, investigators, and the full machinery of government into that courtroom. The right to counsel is what keeps that power in check. Without it, the government can roll right over people who do not have the resources to defend themselves.
“Republicans created this budget gap with years of revenue cuts, including hundreds of millions in giveaways that mostly benefited the wealthiest Idahoans. Now they are trying to close that gap by cutting into the state’s constitutional duty to provide public defense.
“Idaho Democrats unanimously opposed this budget because we will not support weakening a constitutional right to protect tax breaks for the wealthy.”
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