Bonus for us

An interesting bill is going through the Legislature. House Bill 497 requires coordinated classification & pay plans for public defenders in each judicial circuit to be developed in accordance with general law, notwithstanding that lump-sum salary bonuses, or other similar provisions of law or rule relating to government officials, may be provided only if specifically appropriated or provided for by law. The best part of the bill is that the bill allows the public defenders to use unallocated dollars for lump sum bonuses without such bonuses
being either specifically appropriated by the Legislature or authorized by the Legislative Budget Commission

The bill has already gotten a favorable vote in committee. One can only wonder with the budget shortfall that is predicted whether this bill will survive once it reaches the floor, especially in light of Senator Gary Siplin's crass remarks to "close the public defenders down because they don't do nothing for black folks".