The Republican-controlled Executive Council has stalled a $5.5 million request to fund legal defense for low-income New Hampshire residents, pointing to what they said were a lack of safeguards in the program.

Under the U.S. and New Hampshire Constitutions, people who are facing possible jail sentences are required to be afforded legal representation if they can’t pay for a lawyer themselves. The state also provides lawyers in juvenile delinquency cases, and child abuse and neglect proceedings. Starting next year, the state will also assign lawyers to children who have been removed from their homes as part of abuse or neglect proceedings.

The price tag for those services for the year is expected to run more than $7.5 million, well above the $2 million included in the latest state budget.

See Full Page