(a) The Georgia Indigent Defense Council may employ such staff, professional, administrative, and otherwise, as it deems necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this article and may provide compensation and expenses for the staff from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to the council.

(b) Funds provided the council may not be used to employ an attorney or attorneys to appear in court in behalf of criminal defendants in any jurisdiction unless the local tripartite committee requests such representation; provided, however:

(1) That, if local counsel certifies to the tripartite committee that additional counsel is needed in order to preserve effectively the Sixth Amendment rights of the defendant, such request should be compassionately considered and granted if it appears to be in the interest of substantial justice; or

(2) That if no tripartite committee exists or the tripartite committee's indigent defense plan does not substantially comply with this article or the council's guidelines, and if the majority of the superior court judges of the circuit, including the chief judge of the circuit, request assistance of the council, the council in its sole discretion may develop and administer a program for the provision of representation to indigents, which is funded by or through it.

(c) Office space, furniture, equipment, books, postage, supplies, salaries, normal operating costs and overhead, and such other items of expense as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this article may be paid for from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to the council.