House passes emergency public defense funding after agency ran out of money to pay lawyers

By: Eesha Pendharkar

Outlets: Maine Morning Star

Published: March 12, 2026

Words: 726

Last Updated: 4 months, 3 weeks ago

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The Maine House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported a bill allocating $13 million to the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services on Thursday, one day after the agency warned it would halt payments to lawyers because of a budget shortfall.

The bill received broad bipartisan backing, with 120 representatives voting in favor and one opposed.

“Today was an important step,” Frayla Tarpinian, the executive director of the commission, told Maine Morning Star after the vote. “I …

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