A bill that would authorize bonuses for public defenders has cleared a key Florida House panel.
The Safety and Security Council on April 9 approved House Bill 497 from State Rep. Marti Coley that would allow public defenders to use unspent salary funds as bonuses for their staff.
Coley said the excess funds come when employees leave and the slots are not immediately filled. Using the money for bonuses, she said, would allow elected public defenders to reward their attorneys who take on extra work caused by turnover or staffing shortfalls.
State Rep. Sandra Adams of Oviedo asked if there was any language in the bill that would prevent a public defender from giving a bonus to a new employee on his or her first day on the job. Coley replied there was no such restriction, but added she would work with Adams to address that issue.
The bill next goes to the House Rules and Policy Committee. There was no companion bill in the Senate.
— Courtesy Florida Bar News