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FRANKFORT ? A bill that would give $4.7 million to the state?s public defenders and an additional $4.7 million to the state?s prosecutors this fiscal year passed the House Tuesday, but not without a more than an hour-long debate. Without the funds, the Department of Public Advocacy has warned it will run out of money by the end of April and can?t fulfill its constitutional obligation to represent poor criminal defendants. House Bill 433, deemed a ?clean-up? measure to correct problems in a budget bill that passed both chambers last month, also contained a list of new projects that many members said didn?t belong in the bill.

Public advocacy to receive $4.7 million under budget revision

By Beth Musgrave on State Government

FRANKFORT ? A legislative panel dug up $4.7 million Monday for the agency that represents poor criminal defendants in court, potentially averting a shut down of the Department of Public Advocacy next month. That fiscal shot in the arm is one of several provisions contained in a revision to the state?s budget approved Monday by the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee.

Judge to rule soon in public defenders lawsuit

By John Stamper on State Government

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A judge said Monday he will rule "in the next few days" on whether to dismiss a lawsuit that public defenders filed against the state alleging they've been allotted inadequate funding to handle excessive case loads. Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate took no action in the case during a hearing Monday. Department of Public Advocacy spokesman Jessie W. Luscher distributed a statement on Friday saying that when funding runs out in May, public defenders will "be unable to provide any representation whatsoever in any court."