34 U.S.C. § 60304: State reports

Summary

States that get these federal grants must send a yearly report to the Attorney General saying what they did with the money and how each activity followed the grant rules. If the money was for improving defense in death‑penalty cases, the report must show how the money was spent and explain how the State makes sure qualified lawyers are found and appointed. The report must describe the program or group that sets lawyer qualifications, keeps a list of approved lawyers, assigns cases, provides and tracks special training, removes lawyers who do not do good work, and pays for the defense team and outside experts. It must include details on salaries or hourly fees, payments to non‑lawyer team members, and reimbursements for expenses. If the State uses a state law process for appointments, the report must say how well the State follows that law. The State must also say the funds were not used to pay for specific capital cases or to replace non‑federal money. If the money was for improving prosecution in death‑penalty cases, the report must show spending and describe how the State set up prosecutor training, standards and qualifications, performance reviews, possible legal reforms to reduce trial errors, a review program for cases with death sentences to find candidates for post‑conviction DNA testing, and support for victims’ families. The report must also confirm the funds were not used to prosecute specific cases or to replace non‑federal funds. All annual reports must be made available to the public.

Title 34, §60304

Navy, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

Each State receiving funds under this chapter shall submit an annual report to the Attorney General that—

(1)identifies the activities carried out with such funds; and

(2)explains how each activity complies with the terms and conditions of the grant.

(b)Capital representation improvement grants

With respect to the funds provided under section 60301 of this title, a report under subsection (a) shall include—

(1)an accounting of all amounts expended;

(2)an explanation of the means by which the State—

(A)invests the responsibility for identifying and appointing qualified attorneys to represent indigents in capital cases in a program described in section 60301(e)(1)(A) of this title, an entity described in section 60301(e)(1)(B) of this title, or a selection committee or similar entity described in section 60301(e)(1)(C) of this title; and

(B)requires such program, entity, or selection committee or similar entity, or other appropriate entity designated pursuant to the statutory procedure described in section 60301(e)(1)(C) of this title, to—

(i)establish qualifications for attorneys who may be appointed to represent indigents in capital cases in accordance with section 60301(e)(2)(A) of this title;

(ii)establish and maintain a roster of qualified attorneys in accordance with section 60301(e)(2)(B) of this title;

(iii)assign attorneys from the roster in accordance with section 60301(e)(2)(C) of this title;

(iv)conduct, sponsor, or approve specialized training programs for attorneys representing defendants in capital cases in accordance with section 60301(e)(2)(D) of this title;

(v)monitor the performance and training program attendance of appointed attorneys, and remove from the roster attorneys who fail to deliver effective representation or fail to comply with such requirements as such program, entity, or selection committee or similar entity may establish regarding participation in training programs, in accordance with section 60301(e)(2)(E) of this title; and

(vi)ensure funding for the cost of competent legal representation by the defense team and outside experts selected by counsel, in accordance with section 60301(e)(2)(F) of this title, including a statement setting forth—

(I)if the State employs a public defender program under section 60301(e)(1)(A) of this title, the salaries received by the attorneys employed by such program and the salaries received by attorneys in the prosecutor’s office in the jurisdiction;

(II)if the State employs appointed attorneys under section 60301(e)(1)(B) of this title, the hourly fees received by such attorneys for actual time and service and the basis on which the hourly rate was calculated;

(III)the amounts paid to non-attorney members of the defense team, and the basis on which such amounts were determined; and

(IV)the amounts for which attorney and non-attorney members of the defense team were reimbursed for reasonable incidental expenses;

(3)in the case of a State that employs a statutory procedure described in section 60301(e)(1)(C) of this title, an assessment of the extent to which the State is in compliance with the requirements of the applicable State statute; and

(4)a statement confirming that the funds have not been used to fund representation in specific capital cases or to supplant non-Federal funds.

(c)Capital prosecution improvement grants

With respect to the funds provided under section 60302 of this title, a report under subsection (a) shall include—

(1)an accounting of all amounts expended;

(2)a description of the means by which the State has—

(A)designed and established training programs for State and local prosecutors to ensure effective representation in State capital cases in accordance with section 60302(b)(1)(A) of this title;

(B)developed and implemented appropriate standards and qualifications for State and local prosecutors who litigate State capital cases in accordance with section 60302(b)(1)(B) of this title;

(C)assessed the performance of State and local prosecutors who litigate State capital cases in accordance with section 60302(b)(1)(C) of this title;

(D)identified and implemented any potential legal reforms that may be appropriate to minimize the potential for error in the trial of capital cases in accordance with section 60302(b)(1)(D) of this title;

(E)established a program under which State and local prosecutors conduct a systematic review of cases in which a death sentence was imposed in order to identify cases in which post-conviction DNA testing may be appropriate in accordance with section 60302(b)(1)(E) of this title; and

(F)provided support and assistance to the families of murder victims; and

(3)a statement confirming that the funds have not been used to fund the prosecution of specific capital cases or to supplant non-Federal funds.

(d)Public disclosure of annual State reports

The annual reports to the Attorney General submitted by any State under this section shall be made available to the public.

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 14163c of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

§60304 State Reports

Summary

Title 34, §60304

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

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