Right to Legal Counsel in Risk Protection Order Hearings

Where This Stands

Currently dead. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Last action

Died in Justice Budget SubcommitteeMar 13, 2026

Lead sponsor

Juan Porras

Procedural history

10 actions

Feb 5, 2026House
Now in Justice Budget Subcommittee
Feb 5, 2026House
Reported out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee
Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
Favorable by Criminal Justice Subcommittee
Feb 3, 2026House
Added to Criminal Justice Subcommittee agenda
Jan 15, 2026House
Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
Jan 15, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred to Judiciary Committee

Show 4 earlier actions

Jan 15, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred to Justice Budget Subcommittee
Jan 15, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee
Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
Jan 9, 2026HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill ensures that low-income residents facing potential firearm-related restrictions have access to legal representation, shifting the cost of that defense to the state public defender system or court-appointed private counsel.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Indigent respondents

They gain the right to state-funded legal representation in risk protection order hearings.

Public Defenders

They are assigned the duty to represent indigent respondents in risk protection order cases without additional compensation.

Private court-appointed counsel

Their compensation for representing respondents in these cases is capped at $1,000.

Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel

They are authorized to provide legal services to indigent respondents when a conflict of interest prevents the public defender from doing so.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 9, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill establishes that individuals facing a hearing have the right to an attorney and provides for state-funded legal representation if they cannot afford one. It sets a $1,000 compensation cap for private attorneys appointed to these cases and mandates that respondents be notified of their right to counsel in their hearing notice.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to have an attorney for a risk protection order hearing?

No, the bill specifies that the proceeding does not require either party to be represented by an attorney, though you have the right to have one.

What happens if I cannot afford an attorney?

If you are determined to be , the court will appoint a public defender, regional counsel, or private counsel to represent you.

How much will the state pay a private attorney for my case?

The bill limits compensation for private court-appointed counsel in these proceedings to a maximum of $1,000.

Why It Matters

The bill ensures that low-income residents facing potential firearm-related restrictions have access to legal representation, shifting the cost of that defense to the state public defender system or court-appointed private counsel.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededhouse2/5/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable (Criminal Justice Subcommittee)

Total

30

Yes

21

No

6

Present

0

Not Voting

3

Abstain

0

How they voted (30)

+ 6 more

Full roll-call analysis →

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Expansion of Indigent Defense

The bill explicitly expands the mandate of public defenders and regional counsel to include civil risk protection order proceedings, which are traditionally distinct from criminal defense.

Public Defender Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel

Connected Entities

date2026-01-13“1st reading”Map →

date2026-01-09“bill filing”Map →

organizationJudiciary Committee“reviewing the bill”Map →

date2026-02-05“subcommittee report”Map →

date2026-02-03“subcommittee agenda”Map →

date2026-01-15“bill referral”Map →

organizationJustice Budget Subcommittee“reviewing the bill”Map →

organizationCriminal Justice Subcommittee“reviewing the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level