Title
Title
Trial Court Budget | Allocation for Partial Restoration of Trial Court Operations Funding for Fiscal Year 2024-25
(Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
The Budget Act of 2024 included an ongoing reduction of $97 million General Fund to the trial courts, consistent with the statewide ongoing state operations reduction authorized by Control Section 4.05. The fiscal year (FY) 2025-26 Governor’s Budget included a partial restoration of $42 million beginning in FY 2024-25, which will reduce the ongoing reduction to $55 million. On a one-time basis, in FY 2024-25, the proposed restoration will use available reserves in the Trial Court Trust Fund for this purpose. The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends allocating the partial restoration in the current year consistent with the methodology that was used to allocate the initial $97 million reduction. The increased allocation will mitigate the impact of the reduction on services provided to the public and increase access to justice.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends that the Judicial Council, effective February 21, 2025, allocate the $42 million partial restoration using the methodology approved by the Judicial Council at its July 12, 2024, business meeting for the initial $97 million reduction. This approach will recalculate the reduction to trial court operations using the initial methodology with the restored funding, which results in a revised $55 million reduction for FY 2024-25. Approval of this current year allocation is contingent upon approval of the Legislature.
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Speakers
Speakers
Ms. Rebecca Fleming, Vice-Chair, Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee
Mr. Zlatko Theodorovic, Budget Services