County public defender: appointment.

Senator Reyes proposes modifying how California counties remove appointed public defenders from office, replacing the current "at-will" system with a requirement for a three-fifths vote by county boards of supervisors based on specific grounds of misconduct.

Under the legislation, public defenders could only be removed for neglect of duty, malfeasance, misconduct in office, or other good cause. The bill maintains existing provisions allowing county boards of supervisors to appoint public defenders, including cases where a single public defender serves multiple counties. If the Commission on State Mandates determines the changes create state-mandated costs, counties would receive reimbursement through established statutory procedures.