County public defender: appointment.

Senator Reyes proposes modifying California's public defender removal process by requiring county boards of supervisors to secure a three-fifths majority vote and demonstrate specific cause before terminating appointed public defenders.

The legislation establishes three grounds for removal: neglect of duty, malfeasance or misconduct in office, or other good cause. This changes current law, which permits boards of supervisors to remove appointed public defenders at will. The bill also clarifies that in counties with multiple public defender offices, each defender must be appointed by their respective county's board of supervisors.

For implementation costs identified by the Commission on State Mandates, the bill provides reimbursement to affected local agencies through existing statutory mechanisms. This maintains compliance with constitutional requirements for state-mandated local programs while preserving county resources.