18B RATE INCREASE NEWS

The New York State Legislature has included County Law 18-b rate increasses in the "one house" budgets. The Assembly DID NOT include the increase in their "one-house" budget. The budget process ends by April 1st. Please contact your Assembly members now to let them know we support this increase.

The language in the Senate one-house budget resolution is as follows:

“…The Senate supports increasing the hourly compensation of assigned counsel under Article 18-B of the County Law. These attorneys, who represent children and parents in family matters as well as indigent criminal defendants, have not received an increase in compensation for over a decade. These attorneys are essential to providing access to justice for those who cannot afford representation. Comparable compensation in the federal courts has risen to $140 per hour while attorneys in our state courts receive $60 per hour for misdemeanor cases and $75 per hour for other cases. The Senate believes that the Executive should commit state funds to support the increase in the assigned counsel rate under Article 18-B of the County Law.”