Title
Title
Trial Court Budget | Fiscal Year 2026-27 Involuntary Medication Order Funding Allocations (Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
The Budget Act of 2026 included $4.25 million General Fund, annually for four years, to assist trial courts with implementation of Senate Bill 820 (Stats. 2025, ch. 330). The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends approval of a funding methodology and allocations based on that funding methodology. The funding will support trial courts with implementation of new evidentiary hearings, increased medical evaluations, and additional efforts to manage defendant rights as related to involuntary medication orders in misdemeanor incompetent to stand trial cases, as now required under Penal Code section 2603.5.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends the Judicial Council, effective October 16, 2026:
1. Approve the funding methodology based on three-year average filings of 60 percent incompetent to stand trial filings, 40 percent nontraffic misdemeanor filings, and a $1,200 funding floor for fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027-28.
2. Approve the allocations totaling $4.25 million to trial courts. The proposed allocations are included in Attachment A.
3. Direct Judicial Council staff to collect data from trial courts on the percentage of misdemeanor and felony incompetent to stand trial cases and present information to the Funding Methodology Subcommittee. This information will be used to guide allocation methodology decisions for fiscal years 2028-29 and 2029-30.
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