County public defender.

Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors of a county to establish the office of public defender for the county. Under existing law, a person is not eligible to the office of public defender unless he has been a practicing attorney in the courts of the state for at least the year preceding the date of his election or appointment. This bill would provide that a person is eligible for the Los Angeles County Public Defender if he or she is a sitting or retired judge, and as a judge meets specified qualifications, or if he or she was a judicial commissioner, magistrate, or referee, or elected public official, and meets specified qualifications. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.