OLYMPIA, Wash. – Legislation proposed by Pasco Senator Nikki Torres seeks to ease the financial burden for public defenders and prosecutors through a loan repayment program.
SB 5027 aims to support attorneys in these critical roles by offering substantial financial assistance.
If approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, the program would provide a minimum of $20,000 per year in loan repayment assistance for up to three years, with a total cap of $120,000. To qualify, attorneys must be licensed and practicing full-time in public defense or prosecution, committing to at least three years in their positions.
The bill also establishes a dedicated account for the program, ensuring funds are exclusively used for loan repayment. If resources are limited, priority will be given to those serving in rural and underserved areas.
Yakima County Commissioner LaDon Linde talked about the severe shortage of public defenders and prosecutors in his county.
“We have made efforts to compensate or remedy this by increasing our pay to public service attorneys by 45% in the last three years with a limited budget. We’ve offered recruitment bonuses. We’ve offered retention bonuses. Yet it’s still a difficult nut to crack when law school grads come out and look at the compensation of private versus public law practice.” Linde testified in support of the bill during a public hearing February 24.
The bill is under review by the Senate Ways and Means Committee. It’s already been approved and passed on by the Senate Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.
