Title
Trial Court Budget: Self-Help Funding, Allocation Methodology for 2019-20 and Ongoing (Action Required)
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Summary
The Trial Court Budget Advisory recommends that the Judicial Council adopt new policy recommendations for self-help funding allocated to trial courts effective for fiscal year 2019-20 allocations and ongoing: (1) adopt a three-year population update schedule using rolling three-year average census data; (2) provide annual population updates to trial courts using rolling three-year average data for informational purposes only; and (3) maintain the current self-help allocation baseline of $34,000 per court and revisit in 2021 after the November 30, 2020 report to the Legislature. These recommendations will ensure that resources are allocated effectively and will provide adequate notice to courts so they can plan for funding changes.
Recommendation
The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee (TCBAC) recommends that the Judicial Council take the following actions related to self-help funding to trial courts for 2019-20 allocations and ongoing: (1) adopt a three-year population update schedule using rolling three-year average census data; (2) provide annual population updates to trial courts using rolling three-year average data for informational purposes only; and (3) maintain the current self-help allocation baseline of $34,000 per court and revisit in 2021 after the November 30, 2020 report to the Legislature.
These recommendations would take effect immediately and the first allocation changes to self-help funding based on this methodology would be made in 2021-22.