ENROLLED
H. B. 4320
(By Delegates Douglas, Butcher, Flanigan, Manchin,
Perdue, Prunty and Border)
[Passed February 27, 2002; in effect ninety days from passage.]
AN ACT to amend and reenact section three, article twenty-one,
chapter twenty-nine of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to further amend said
article by adding thereto a new section, designated section
three-a, relating to continuing public defender services.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section three, article twenty-one, chapter twenty-nine of
the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted; and that said article be further
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section three-
a, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 21. PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICES.
§29-21-3. Establishment of public defender services.
There is hereby created an executive agency known as public
defender services. The agency shall administer, coordinate and
evaluate programs by which the state provides legal representation
to indigent persons, monitor the progress of various delivery
systems and recommend improvements. The agency shall maintain its
office at the state capitol.
§29-21-3a. Continuation of public defender services.
Pursuant to the provisions of article ten, chapter four of
this code, public defender services shall continue to exist until
the first day of July, two thousand four, unless sooner terminated,
continued or reestablished by act of the Legislature.