For the operation of the committee for public counsel services under
chapter 211D of the General Laws; provided, that the committee shall maintain a system in which not less than 20 per cent of indigent clients shall be represented by public defenders; provided further, that to the extent feasible, the committee shall assign public defenders to district and superior courts; provided further, that the committee shall approve by majority vote any increase in the base salary or rate of compensation for employees holding management positions, including, but not limited to, chiefs, deputy chiefs, directors, assistant directors and managers; provided further, that not later than December 2, 2024, the committee shall submit a report to the executive office for administration and finance and the house and senate committees on ways and means that shall include, but not be limited to, the expected surplus or deficiency of items
0321-1500,
0321-1510 and
0321-1520 for fiscal year 2025; provided further, that not later than March 3, 2025, the committee shall submit an annual report to the house and senate committees on ways and means in a cumulative manner and which shall be compared with data from the current period to the previous 2 fiscal years; and provided further, that the report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the caseload of attorneys in charge compared to the caseload of public defenders; (ii) the number of cases handled by the committee in each reporting period, delineated by public defender and private bar advocate; (iii) the average number of hours spent per case by public defenders; (iv) the number of public defenders currently employed by the committee and the total number employed by the committee at the end of each fiscal year, delineated by division; (v) the number of public defender vacancies to be filled; (vi) the average cost for public defender services rendered per case in the prior fiscal year; (vii) the number of cases assigned to private bar advocates; (viii) the average number of hours billed by private bar advocates; (ix) the average cost for private bar advocate services rendered per case in the prior fiscal year; (x) the billable hours of private counsel, delineated by travel time and time spent in court, including wait time and trial preparation time, including interview time, investigating time and research time; (xi) any changes to the private bar billing system and any billing improvements that have been made; (xii) the total number of support staff, investigators, attorneys in charge and management personnel currently employed by the committee and the total number employed by the committee at the end of each fiscal year for the previous 2 fiscal years; and (xiii) a summary of all spending for psychologists, psychiatrists and investigators, including the total number of hours billed, the number of unique vendors and the average number of hours billed
