Speaker 1: Bill passed and chair of the Senate. Please read the first committee report.
Speaker 5: The report Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee and Item one Constable one one 9 to 60 relate to civil legal and aid services authorizing an amendment to the interim agreement for public defense services with King County previously authorized under Ordinance 1254 11 to carry out a program for civil legal services for indigent clients, according to the terms of Resolution 31802. The committee recommends the bill pass.
Speaker 1: Councilmember Herbold.
Speaker 6: Thank you. So this piece of legislation authorizes the director of the City Budget Office to amend the in the inner local agreement with King County to expand legal civil legal services for indigent misdemeanors in Seattle Municipal Court to allow movement of this pilot project into its second phase. The second phase of this pilot project will allow for direct representation on civil cases. This this approval needs to go not only to our council, but also to the King County Council as a bit of background. You may recall in 2016, the council approved through the budget process this civil legal aid pilot. Again, it's a two phase pilot. And in the first phase, it allowed for the hiring of three civil legal aid attorneys referred to as the collateral consequences attorneys through the King County Department of Public Defense. These civil legal aid attorneys help prevent people from experiencing what we call collateral consequences, such as losing housing, public benefits, there's driver's license, the professional technical licenses, as well as addressing other civil issues that come up in the course of a legal defense for an unrelated charge. If the sort of the basis behind this is a more holistic approach of civil legal defense, with the understanding that if rehabilitation is the goal of our criminal justice system, we need to directly address the unintended consequences of interactions with that system. Homelessness and unemployment should not result from a misdemeanor when it's completely unrelated to the offense that a person allegedly committed. We received a report from the King County Department of Public Defense earlier this year, and just some highlights of the 293 cases that received civil legal aid. Again, these aren't cases where there was direct representation. Simply there was consultation with subject matter experts in in these particular civil legal areas of law. But just some highlights from that report. One resident of a tiny home face loss of her housing if she remained in custody for more than 30 days on a theft charge. The collateral consequences attorney advised the defense attorney and the prosecutor, who agreed to a lesser charge and sentence so that the client could keep her home. Another example is numerous clients were advised about appealing license suspensions and assisted in securing temporary or limited licenses because maintaining the right to drive has afforded breadwinners and parents the ability to continue providing for their families. And then finally, one client who was driving in his car with all of his possessions had his car impounded following a DUI. By working with the impound lot in licensed client's family, the Collateral Consequences attorney was able to get the client's possessions secured prior to the car being put up for auction. So these are just some of the the examples of the broad types of cases that we'll now in the second phase, be able to.
Speaker 3: Allow.
Speaker 6: A direct representation.
Speaker 1: Thank you. Casper Herbold, any further comments? And that please call the role on the pastor the Bill Bank.
Speaker 2: John Gonzalez Herbold II Johnson, Muscatine O'Brien, SWAT President Harrell guy eight and favorite unopposed.
Speaker 1: Thank you. The bill passed and chair of the Senate. Please read agenda item number two the short title.
AN ORDINANCE related to civil legal aid services; authorizing an amendment to the Interlocal Agreement for Public Defense Services with King County, previously authorized under Ordinance 125411, to carry out a program for civil legal services for indigent clients according to the terms of Resolution 31802.