Amendment #28 to H4000

Indigent Counsel Fee Collection

Representatives Harrington of Groton, Jones of North Reading, Peterson of Grafton, Hill of Ipswich, Poirier of North Attleborough and deMacedo of Plymouth move to amend the bill by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:—

“SECTION X.  Section 2A of chapter 211D of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after paragraph (g) the following:-

(g ½) Counsel fees or reduced fees assessed under this chapter shall be paid by bank check or money order.  The chief probation officer or the officer’s designee shall be responsible for the collection of such fees. The chief probation officer or the officer’s designee shall make a copy of each bank check or money order as received. Each copy shall be time stamped and initialed by the chief probation officer or the officer’s designee and forwarded to the clerk of the court. If the chief probation officer or the officer’s designee has not received payment for a fee within 60 days of appointment of counsel, the chief probation officer or the officer’s designee shall notify the clerk of the court in writing.”.