Illinois lawmakers pass a bill aimed at reforming the state's public defense system.
The Funded Advocacy & Independent Representation (FAIR) Act will create a statewide office of public defense in 2027.
The State Public Defender will be selected by the new State Public Defense Commission and will be responsible for : Setting standards for attorney workloads, training, and resources, free of inappropriate judicial and political influence; Assessing each county’s need for additional resources; Distributing funds to counties’ public defense offices and gathering, analyzing and releasing data.
"We want to give them the best defense possible," says state Rep. Dave Vella, the measure's lead sponsor in the House, "We don't want any innocent people going to jail."
The new Office of the State Public Defender will support county public defenders working in all 102 counties and provide oversight and standards to ensure every Illinoisan receives the highest quality representation.