Pennsylvania legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Pennsylvania HR143: A Resolution recognizing March 18, 2025, as "Public Defender Day" in Pennsylvania.
Status: In committee, May 30, 2025
What the bill says
A resolution Recognizing March 18, 2025, as "Public Defender Day" in Pennsylvania.
From the introduced text, March 24, 2025:
A RESOLUTION Recognizing March 18, 2025, as "Public Defender Day" in Pennsylvania. WHEREAS, March 18, 2025, marks the 62nd anniversary of the United States Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright; and WHEREAS, The Court unanimously ruled that the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees the right to legal counsel as a fundamental right essential to a fair trial, and counsel must be provided to individuals who cannot afford to hire an attorney themselves; and WHEREAS, The ruling spurred nationwide efforts to recruit and train legal defense attorneys for the purpose of providing a public defense; and WHEREAS, These efforts were built on Clara Shortridge Foltz's legacy, who first presented her vision for public defense in 1893; and WHEREAS, Public defenders fight to protect the liberty of those at their most desperate, vulnerable moments; and WHEREAS, Without zealous advocates, we cannot ensure that people's rights are protected and that the innocent will not go to prison; and WHEREAS, In order to best serve this purpose, public defenders must be recognized as an indispensable component of the adversarial system and have access to the same resources as the prosecution; and WHEREAS, The lack of resources strains even the best attorneys and negatively impacts the quality of a legal defense, jeopardizing the integrity of the criminal legal system; …
Sponsors
- D. Miller (R, 42) · primary sponsor
- Joanna McClinton (D, 191)
- Christopher Pielli (D, 156)
- Carol Hill-Evans (D, 95)
- Arvind Venkat (D, 30)
- Jose Giral (D, 180)
- Maureen Madden (D, 115)
- Joseph Hohenstein (D, 177)
- Gregory Vitali (D, 166)
- Benjamin Sanchez (D, 153)
- Carol Kazeem (D, 159)
- Michael Schlossberg (D, 132)
Latest actions
- : Laid on the table (Pursuant to House Rule 71), May 30, 2025
- : Reported as amended, March 26, 2025
- : Referred to JUDICIARY, March 24, 2025
Votes
- House Judiciary: Report Bill As Committed (March 25, 2025): 26 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Judiciary: Report Bill As Amended (March 25, 2025): 23 yea, 3 nay, passed
Subjects: JUDICIARY
Common questions
- What is HR143?
- HR143 is a bill in the Pennsylvania Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): A Resolution recognizing March 18, 2025, as "Public Defender Day" in Pennsylvania.
- What does HR143 do?
- In its own words: A resolution Recognizing March 18, 2025, as "Public Defender Day" in Pennsylvania.
- What is the status of HR143?
- In committee as of May 30, 2025. Latest action: Laid on the table (Pursuant to House Rule 71), May 30, 2025 (May 30, 2025).
- Who sponsored HR143?
- D. Miller (R, 42), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HR143?
- On the Pennsylvania Legislature website: https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hr143
Source: official Pennsylvania record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.