Office of Public Defense

  Average Annual FTEs Near General Fund State Other Funds Total Funds
  (Dollars in Thousands)
Current Budget 22.0 108,177 4,288 112,465
2021-23 Maintenance Level 22.0 108,677 4,293 112,970
Difference from 2021-23 Original 0.0 500 5 505
% Change from 2021-23 Original 0.0% 0.46% 0.12% 0.45%

2022 Policy Other Changes

Access Fees - Odyssey 0.0 153 0 153
Attorney Vendor Rate Increase 0.0 963 0 963
Triage Team - Blake 3.0 1,294 0 1,294
Additional Fiscal Analyst 0.50 78 0 78
Lease Cost Increase 0.0 125 0 125
Improvement Program Attorney 0.60 184 0 184
Language Access Services 0.0 50 0 50
Managing Attorney & Program Asst. 1.0 207 0 207
OPD Salary Adjustments 0.0 35 0 35
Social Worker Vendor Rate Increase 0.0 822 0 822
2022 Policy Other Changes Total 5.1 3,911 0 3,911

2022 Policy Comp Changes

State Employee Benefits 0.0 1 0 1
Non-Rep General Wage Increase 0.0 84 0 84
PERS & TRS Plan 1 Benefit Increase 0.0 3 0 3
2022 Policy Comp Changes Total 0.0 88 0 88

2022 Policy Central Services Changes

Legal Services 0.0 0 6 6
CTS Central Services 0.0 0 1 1
DES Central Services 0.0 0 2 2
OFM Central Services 0.0 0 24 24
2022 Policy Central Services Changes Total 0.0 0 33 33
Total Policy Changes 5.1 3,999 33 4,032
2022 Policy Level 27.1 112,676 4,326 117,002
Difference from 2021-23 Original 5.1 4,499 38 4,537
% Change from 2021-23 Original 23.2% 4.2% 0.89% 4.0%

Policy Changes

DES Central Services

Adjustments are made to reflect each agency’s anticipated share of charges from the Department of Enterprise Services for campus rent, parking, security and contracts; capital project surcharges; financing cost recovery; public and historic facilities; real estate services; risk management services; personnel service rates; the Perry Street and Capitol Campus child care centers; small agency services; and the department’s enterprise applications. See the 2021-23 Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (Judicial Stabilization Trust Acct - State)

Access Fees - Odyssey

Funding is provided to cover fees that county clerks charge Office of Public Defense (OPD) staff and OPD-contracted public defense attorneys for electronic access to court documents. (General Fund - State)

Attorney Vendor Rate Increase

Funding is provided for a 3% vendor rate increase for contract attorneys in the appellate, parent representation, and civil commitment programs. (General Fund - State)

Triage Team - Blake

Funding is provided to implement a triage team to provide statewide support to the management and flow of hearings for more than 4,000 incarcerated individuals impacted by the State v. Blake decision. (General Fund - State)

Additional Fiscal Analyst

Funds are provided to hire an additional fiscal analyst to meet current workload demands. (General Fund - State)

Lease Cost Increase

Funding is provided to cover increased lease costs to provide sufficient office space for OPD employees. (General Fund - State)

Improvement Program Attorney

Funds are provided for one attorney FTE position in the Public Defense Improvement program. (General Fund - State)

Language Access Services

This funding will improve language access services and provide more equitable services for public defense clients with limited English proficiency. (General Fund - State)

Managing Attorney & Program Asst.

Funds are provided to hire a managing attorney and program assistant for the Parent Representation program to provide technical assistance to contractors, monitor and enforce contract performance, and administer the program in assigned counties. (General Fund - State)

OPD Salary Adjustments

Funding is provided for salary adjustments for OPD’s paralegals and program assistants. (General Fund - State)

Social Worker Vendor Rate Increase

This item funds a vendor rate increase for contracted social workers who assist attorneys and clients in the Parent Representation program and civil commitment program. (General Fund - State)

State Employee Benefits

Health insurance funding is provided for state employees who are not covered by the healthcare coalition. The insurance funding rate is $936 per employee per month for fiscal year 2022 and $1,130 per employee per month for fiscal year 2023. (General Fund - State)

Non-Rep General Wage Increase

A general wage increase of 3.25%, effective July 1, 2022, is provided for state employees who are not represented by a union or who are covered by a bargaining agreement that is not subject to financial feasibility determination. (General Fund - State)

PERS & TRS Plan 1 Benefit Increase

For eligible Public Employees' and Teachers' Retirement Systems Plan 1 members, this item provides an increase of 3%, up to a maximum of $110 per month. (General Fund - State)

Legal Services

Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated cost of Attorney General's Office legal services based on a three-year average. Because legal services costs are based on usage, funding provided in the central service model is not all inclusive. (Judicial Stabilization Trust Acct - State)

CTS Central Services

Adjustments are made to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges from Consolidated Technology Services (CTS) for the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Cyber Security, state network, enterprise services, small agency IT services, security gateways, and geospatial imaging services. See the 2021-23 Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (Judicial Stabilization Trust Acct - State)

OFM Central Services

Adjustments are made to reflect each agency’s anticipated share of charges for existing statewide applications, the One Washington program, and other central services provided by the Office of Financial Management. See the 2021-23 Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (Judicial Stabilization Trust Acct - State)