Title
Title
Trial Court Budget | Use of Court Interpreters Program Savings to Augment 2024-25 and 2025-26 Allocations for Trial Courts (Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
High rates charged by independent contractors is one of several factors that has led to the recent marked increase in court interpreter expenses. The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends that Court Interpreters Program (CIP) allocations for fiscal years 2024-25 and 2025-26 from the Trial Court Trust Fund be augmented with CIP program savings to address funding shortfalls due to increasing interpreter costs and expenses. The allocations will help maintain current levels of interpreter services for court users.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee (TCBAC) recommends that the Judicial Council, effective February 21, 2025:
1. Approve the allocation of $4.6 million from the $35 million CIP fund balance from the Trial Court Trust Fund (TCTF) in fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 to courts that exceeded their allocation in FY 2023-24, as outlined in Attachment A;
2. Approve the allocation of the remaining CIP fund balance from the TCTF to courts midyear to address any CIP shortfalls for fiscal years 2024-25 and 2025-26, based on available program savings; and
3. Direct Judicial Council staff to continue to monitor CIP funding and program expenditures, provide regular updates to the TCBAC to report any changes, and work with the trial courts to develop a funding request for additional CIP resources beginning in FY 2026-27.
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Speakers
Speakers
Ms. Rebecca Fleming, Vice-Chair, Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee
Mr. Douglas Denton, Center for Families, Children & the Courts