Posted: | January 12, 2017 01:51 PM |
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From: | Representative Warren Kampf |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Procurement Code Contingency Fee Services (TiPAC - prior HB 841) |
The Commonwealth has entered into contingency fee legal services contracts on a number of occasions; including in situations where it has lacked internal legal expertise on a particular subject matter. While there is often a good reason for states to hire outside lawyers in specific cases; the lack of uniform policies to govern such arrangements has the potential for abuse and conflict of interest. Accordingly, I will be introducing legislation sponsored by Representative Krieger in previous sessions (Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act). This legislation, which amends the Procurement Code, is necessary to ensure that government transparency and accountability transcends an individual’s tenure in office. Twenty-two states have already adopted similar legislation. My proposal will preserve the ability of the Attorney General and the Governor’s Office of General Counsel to contract with outside contingency fee counsel while insulating themselves from political pressure, ensuring maximum benefit to taxpayers by establishing parameters for reasonable contingency fees, and preserving due process by requiring that the State remains in control of litigation when it hires contingency fee counsel. Prior Cosponsors of HB 841: KAUFFMAN, SAYLOR, DUNBAR, BLOOM, COX, METCALFE, CUTLER, GABLER, MURT, JAMES, EVERETT, B. MILLER. ENGLISH, BAKER, WARNER, FEE, A. HARRIS, HARPER, TALLMAN, LAWRENCE, RAPP, MARSICO, PETRI AND PHILLIPS-HILL |
Introduced as HB502