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Title
Judicial Council | 2024 Legislative Priorities (Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
Each year, the Judicial Council adopts legislative priorities to further key council objectives in the upcoming legislative year. Last year, the council’s legislative priorities focused on stable and reliable funding to address increased costs and plan for the future; sufficient resources to improve access to the courts, including remote access, adequate judgeships, and judicial officers in counties with the greatest need; availability of verbatim records of court proceedings; and operational efficiencies in the courts. The Legislation Committee recommends a similar approach for consideration by the Judicial Council for the 2024 legislative year: continued stable and reliable funding to address increased costs, continued advancement of remote access to the courts while balancing due process, funding for judgeships and judicial officers in counties with the greatest need, availability of verbatim records of court proceedings, and operational efficiencies in the courts.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Legislation Committee recommends that the Judicial Council, effective January 19, 2024, approve the following legislative priorities for 2024:
1. Advocate for the following:
a. Continued funding for the judicial branch to include stable and reliable funding for courts to address annual cost increases in baseline operations and plans for the future; and
b. Sufficient resources to improve physical access to the courts by keeping courts open, expand access by increasing the ability of court users to conduct branch business online, strengthen programs and services that have been restored over the past few years, and continue to implement innovations in programs and services;
2. Continue to seek funding for judgeships and judicial officers in counties with the greatest need;
3. Continue to promote the availability of verbatim records of court proceedings by working collaboratively to address court reporter shortages and exploring innovations in technology;
4. Seek legislative authorization, if needed and authorized by the Judicial Council in 2024, for the disposition of unused courthouses in fair market value transactions, with the proceeds to be directed to the State Court Facilities Construction Fund (the successor fund of the Immediate and Critical Needs Account) established by Senate Bill 1407 (Perata; Stats. 2008, ch. 311) or any other Judicial Council facilities fund authorized by the Legislature;
5. Continue to sponsor or support legislation to improve judicial branch operational efficiencies, including cost-savings and cost-recovery measures as well as the ability to conduct proceedings, in whole or in part, using remote technology in order to expand safe and reliable access to justice; and
6. Delegate to the Legislation Committee the authority to take positions or provide comments on behalf of the Judicial Council on proposed legislation (state and federal), administrative rules or regulations, and proposals by other bodies or agencies after evaluating input from council advisory bodies, council staff, and the courts, provided that the input is consistent with the council’s established policies and precedents.
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Speakers
Speakers
Hon. Marla O. Anderson, Chair, Legislation Committee
Mr. Cory T. Jasperson, Governmental Affairs