Stand for Children Arizona Executive Director Rebecca Gau released the following statement about Governor Hobbs signing HB 2265 into law on Friday, June 19th. HB 2265 would eliminate court fees for jury trials, public defenders, and appeals.
“We are grateful to Governor Hobbs and the Arizona legislature for eliminating fees that create barriers for Arizonans to access their constitutional rights. The right to an attorney, jury trial, or appeal should never be restricted only to those with the ability to pay.
While talking with Arizonans about this bill, we learned of several who were pressured to take a plea because they couldn’t afford an attorney,” said Stand for Children Arizona Executive Director Rebecca Gau. “The ability to pay should not be a deciding factor between guilt and innocence. This bill is going to make our criminal justice system stronger and more fair.”
