Title 1.5. Statewide Programs Of Education, Training, And Research For Local Public Prosecutors And Public Defenders of California Penal Code >> Title 1.5. >> Part 4.

The purpose of this title is to improve the administration of criminal justice by providing funding for statewide programs of education, training, and research for local public prosecutors and public defenders.

(a) There is hereby established in the Office of Emergency Services, a program of financial assistance to provide for statewide programs of education, training, and research for local public prosecutors and public defenders. All funds made available to the office for the purposes of this chapter shall be administered and distributed by the Director of Emergency Services.
  (b) The Director of Emergency Services is authorized to allocate and award funds to public agencies or private nonprofit organizations for purposes of establishing statewide programs of education, training, and research for public prosecutors and public defenders, which programs meet criteria established pursuant to Section 11502.

(a) Criteria for selection of education, training, and research programs for local public prosecutors and public defenders shall be developed by the Office of Emergency Services in consultation with an advisory group entitled the Prosecutors and Public Defenders Education and Training Advisory Committee.
  (b) The Prosecutors and Public Defenders Education and Training Advisory Committee shall be composed of six local public prosecutors and six local public defender representatives, all of whom are appointed by the Director of Emergency Services, who shall provide staff services to the advisory committee. In appointing the members of the committee, the director shall invite the Attorney General, the State Public Defender, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Senate President pro Tempore to participate as ex officio members of the committee.
  (c) The Office of Emergency Services, in consultation with the advisory committee, shall develop specific guidelines including criteria for selection of organizations to provide education, training, and research services.
  (d) In determining the equitable allocation of funds between prosecution and defense functions, the Office of Emergency Services and the advisory committee shall give consideration to the amount of local government expenditures on a statewide basis for the support of those functions.
  (e) The administration of the overall program shall be performed by the Office of Emergency Services. The office may, out of any appropriation for this program, expend an amount not to exceed 7.5 percent for any fiscal year for those purposes.
  (f) No funds appropriated pursuant to this title shall be used to support a legislative advocate.
  (g) To the extent necessary to meet the requirements of the State Bar of California relating to certification of training for legal specialists, the executive director shall ensure that, where appropriate, all programs funded under this title are open to all members of the State Bar of California. The program guidelines established pursuant to subdivision (c) shall provide for the reimbursement of costs for all participants deemed eligible by the Office of Emergency Services, in conjunction with the Legal Training Advisory Committee, by means of course attendance.

There is hereby created in the State Treasury the Local Public Prosecutors and Public Defenders Training Fund for the support of the Prosecutors and Public Defenders Education and Training Program, established pursuant to this title.

To the extent funds are appropriated from the Assessment Fund to the Local Public Prosecutors and Public Defenders Training Fund established pursuant to Section 11503, the Office of Emergency Services shall allocate financial resources for statewide programs of education, training, and research for local public prosecutors and public defenders.