Rates of Compensation Payable to all Counsel
SECTION 115.
Said chapter 211D is hereby further amended by striking out section 11, as appearing in the 2008 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 11. (a) The rates of compensation payable to all counsel, who are appointed or assigned to represent indigents within the private counsel division of the committee in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) of section 6, shall, subject to appropriation, be as follows: for homicide cases the rate of compensation shall be $100 per hour; for superior court non-homicide cases, including sexually dangerous person cases, the rate of compensation shall be $60 per hour; for district court cases and children in need of services cases the rate of compensation shall be $50 per hour; for children and family law cases, care and protection cases, sex offender registry cases and mental health cases the rate of compensation shall be $50 per hour. These rates of compensation shall be reviewed periodically at public hearings held by the committee at appropriate locations throughout the state, and notice shall be given to all state, county and local bar associations and other interested groups, of such hearings by letter and publication in advance of such hearings. This periodic review shall take place not less than once every 3 years.
(b) The committee shall set an annual cap on billable hours not in excess of 1,650 hours. Counsel appointed or assigned to represent indigents within the private counsel division shall not be paid for any time billed in excess of the annual limit of billable hours. It shall be the responsibility of private counsel to manage their billable hours.
(c) Any counsel who is appointed or assigned to represent indigents within the private counsel division, except any counsel appointed or assigned to represent indigents within the private counsel division in a homicide case, shall be prohibited from accepting any new appointment or assignment to represent indigents after that counsel has billed 1,350 billable hours during any fiscal year.