(a) The Judicial Council and the Supreme Court shall adopt, by rule of court, binding and mandatory competency standards for the appointment of counsel in death penalty direct appeals and habeas corpus proceedings, and they shall reevaluate the standards as needed to ensure that they meet the criteria in subdivision (b).
(b) In establishing and reevaluating the standards, the Judicial Council and the Supreme Court shall consider the qualifications needed to achieve competent representation, the need to avoid unduly restricting the available pool of attorneys so as to provide timely appointment, and the standards needed to qualify for Chapter 154 of Title 28 of the United States Code. Experience requirements shall not be limited to defense experience.
(Amended November 8, 2016, by initiative Proposition 66, Sec. 18.)