Last week, the House of Representatives concluded its debate on the FY 2016 House Ways & Means budget recommendations.
I am happy to inform you that the final House budget maintained the Ways & Means recommendation earmarking $1.5M for salary adjustments for a number of our attorneys. It also adopted a version of an amendment that increases the compensation rate paid to private assigned counsel for assignments to District and Juvenile Court and CHINS/CRA cases from $50/hour to $53/hour and for CAFL and care and protection cases from $50/hour to $55/hour; effective date of this change is July 1, 2016.
We would like to thank Speaker DeLeo (D-Winthrop) and HW&M Chairman Dempsey (D-Haverhill) for taking these positive measures for CPCS in such lean fiscal times. We are also grateful to the many House members who supported our efforts and worked with us to achieve these goals, especially House Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary John Fernandes (D-Milford).
As for the increase in compensation rates to the private bar, we greatly appreciate the efforts of the MBA, most importantly, the extraordinary efforts of Atty. Martin Healy, MBA Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Counsel. Thank you! Also, many thanks to State Representative Garrett Bradley (D-Hingham) for being the lead sponsor of the original amendment and thank you to the amendment’s seven co-sponsors, Reps. Murphy (D-Weymouth), Timilty (D-Milton), Fennell (D-Lynn), Vega (D-Holyoke), Crighton (D-Lynn), Mom (D-Lowell), and Cantwell (D-Marshfield).
Budget deliberations now move to the Senate. We will continue to meet with Senate members, working to gain support for inclusion in the Senate budget of increased compensation for all CPCS public staff attorneys and staff, and increased rates for all private assigned counsel. The Senate budget is scheduled for release and debate in mid-May.
Lisa M. Hewitt
General Counsel