NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – Public defenders in Massachusetts are not getting paid. Mark Blauver, President of the Franklin County Bar Advocates, told 22News that the Community for Public Counsel Services ran out of money on June 30.

It is common for this to happen at the end of a fiscal year, but Blauver told 22News that this year, they got short notice; only finding out about the lack of funding on June 24.

A bill that would appropriate more money is sitting on Governor Charlie Baker’s desk. He has ten days to sign it, but nobody has been given an indication of when or if that will happen. David Hoose, president of Hampden County Lawyers for Justice, says the situation is frustrating.

“People have to reconsider whether they can take a vacation. People have to pay the interest on their credit cards,” Hoose said. “They run out of money. Everyone knew they were going to run out of money, and people sit and wait while the governor decides whether to sign the deficiency budget.”

For the new fiscal year, $42-million has been set aside to pay public defenders. Public defenders are paid $50 an hour for district court work, $60 for superior court and $100 for a homicide case.