Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Hays County Commissioner Lon Shell provided an update regarding Hays County’s multi-year grant application submitted to the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to fund its public defender services effort.
Shell said during Tuesday’s commissioners court meeting that TIDC is in the process of providing funding but Hays County has not yet been awarded funding.
“We are still working to find the necessary support from our judiciary to be able to have a shot,” Shell said. “I can’t promise that the funds are going to be there this fiscal year. There are still funds that can be allocated. And as I think the court remembers, we did have a focus on mental health with our programs, which there was additional funding provided by the legislature to TIDC for use for those types of programs.”
Monday, July 12, 2021
Hays County will need to take further action on its multi-year improvement grant application it submitted to the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to fund its public defender services effort.
The Hays County Commissioners Court will discuss taking action on the application submitted to TIDC during Tuesday’s meeting after funding was not awarded to the county.
In April, the commissioners court unanimously voted in favor of pursuing funding for a three pronged criminal justice reform approach: a Pretrial Services Department, Public Defender Office and a Managed Assigned Counsel program.
The pretrial services department should enhance current systems aimed at fairness and due process, cost effectiveness, while also providing opportunities for review of cases prior to initial appearance and early case resolution opportunities, if deemed appropriate.
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The Williamson County commissioners on Tuesday approved funding for its felony diversion program grant for the third year in a row.
The grant for the Transformative Justice Program is funded through the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and requires a 60% cash match from the county next fiscal year totaling $250,607. The grant will require an 80% match in the program s fourth year, but Scott Matthews, the county s director for juvenile services, said they hope to apply to other grants by that time.
The program helps those ages 17- to 24 who have been convicted of low-level felony offenses to find education, housing and employment opportunities while participating in community service projects. If they graduate from the program, their records could be expunged. Matthews said there are 12 active participants, 12 who have graduated and five who were not successful in completing the program.