HB 1930 Mississippi House · 2026 Regular Session

Appropriation; State Public Defender, Office of.

HB 1930 appropriates $4,678,350 from the State General Fund to cover the Office of State Public Defender's expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). The bill funds the office’s general operations, authorizes 25 full-time positions, and allocates specific amounts for three key programs: three assistant public defenders ($446,521), indigent parental representation ($422,500), and a youth defender specialist ($235,926). It requires the office to track performance metrics (like case processing timelines) and maintain detailed financial records, while also reapplying $30,000 for Hinds County and $200,000 for a rural legal pilot program from prior capital funds. This is a funding measure, not a policy change, directly supporting the public defender office’s services for indigent defendants.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Signed Apr 6, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Passed the lower → Current version · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to include new funding sources and specific programs for the Office of State Public Defender, increasing the total appropriation significantly. Key additions include funds for a rural public defense pilot program, family defenders in youth court, and expanded support for indigent parental representation. Several existing appropriation sections were renumbered and adjusted to accommodate these new allocations.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include new pilot programs for rural public defense and youth court family defenders, in addition to increasing funding for indigent parental representation.

FISCAL

Added Section 2 to appropriate $728,677.00 from special source funds collected by the Office of State Public Defender.

Added Section 13 to appropriate $578,677.00 from the Capital Expense Fund for a rural public defense pilot program.

Added Section 14 to appropriate $150,000.00 from the Capital Expense Fund for Family Defenders in Youth Court.

Increased the appropriation for Indigent Parental Representation from $422,500.00 in Section 8 to $572,500.00 in Section 9.

Increased the reappropriation for the Hinds County Public Defender's Office from $30,000.00 in Section 10 to $36,000.00 in Section 11.

REQUIREMENT

Added Section 15 requiring the Office of State Public Defender to submit detailed reports on youth court activities to state officials by specific deadlines.

TIMELINE

Updated the reporting deadline in Section 3 from Fiscal Year 2027 to Fiscal Year 2028.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 12, 2026 · House Feb 19, 2026

How they voted

51–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 52

Mar 12, 2026

D Democratic18

18 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican34

33 Yea 1

97% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 6, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by Governor

executive

Mar 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Report Adopted

lower

Mar 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Report Filed

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed As Amended

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

Amended

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

upper

Feb 27, 2026

Committee

Referred To Appropriations

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Introduced

Transmitted To Senate

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

lower

Feb 16, 2026

Committee

Referred To Appropriations D;Appropriations A

lower

1 primary · 7 co-sponsors