5810: SUMMARY AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE (3-31-08)

FY 2008-09 JUDICIARY BUDGET H.B. 5810 (H-1): SUMMARY AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE

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House Bill 5810 (H-1 as passed by the House)
Committee: Appropriations

FY 2007-08 Year-to-Date Gross Appropriation	$259,291,500
Changes from FY 2007-08 Year-to-Date:
1. Mental Health Court Pilot Program. The Governor included $1.1 million in GF/GP funding for a mental health court pilot program. The program will be administered by the state court administrative office. $2.2 million of additional funding is in the DCH budget. The House reduced funding to $700,000.	700,000
2. Next Generation Judicial Information Systems. The Governor recommended an increase of $652,700 in local user fees for the new trial court case management system. Berrien and Washtenaw Counties will pay the increase in fees.	652,700
3. Supreme Court Administration. The House reduced this line item by $526,500.	(526,500)
4. Court of Appeals Operations. The House included funding for 5.0 additional research attorneys.	375,000
5. Appellate Public Defender Program. The House included funding for 3.0 additional attorneys.	298,500
6. Appellate Assigned Counsel Administration. The House included additional funding for 1.0 FTE.	53,000
7. Local Government Grants. The House included funding for grants to several district courts.	200,000
8. Economic Adjustments.	422,800
9. Other Changes. These include increases for OASI and social security for judges, as well as an increase in defined contribution costs for newly elected judges.	445,700
10. Comparison to Governor's Recommendation. The House is $0 Gross and $0 GF/GP over the Governor.
Total Changes	$2,621,200
FY 2008-09 House-Passed Gross Appropriation	$261,912,700

FY 2008-09 JUDICIARY BUDGET BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS

Changes from FY 2007-08 Year to Date:

1. Communication with the Legislature. The Governor and House removed language prohibiting the judicial branch from taking disciplinary action against an employee for communicating with a member of the Legislature or his or her staff. (Sec. 204)

2. Contingency Funds. The Governor and House included language for Federal, state restricted, local and private contingency funds. (Sec. 206)

3. Reporting Requirements. The Governor and House removed the words "unless otherwise specified" from this section, requiring the use of the Internet to fulfill all reporting requirements of the bill. (Sec. 208)

4. Retention of Reports. The Governor removed the section requiring the judicial branch to retain reports and records. The House retained current year language. (Sec. 212)

5. Reporting Requirement. The Governor and House removed language requiring the judicial branch to report on each specific policy change made to implement enacted legislation. The section also prohibits the use of funds in Part 1 to prepare regulatory plans or promulgate rules that fail to reduce the disproportionate economic impact on small businesses pursuant to MCL 24.240. (Sec. 216)

6. Efficiency Mechanisms. The Governor and House removed language requiring the Chief Justice to implement continuous improvement efficiency mechanisms. (Sec. 217)

7. Auditor General. The Governor removed language requiring the judicial branch to cooperate with the Auditor General regarding audits of the judicial branch. The House retained current year language. (Sec. 304)

8. Quarterly Reports. The Governor removed the section requiring quarterly reports on revenues and expenditures. The House retained current year language. (Sec. 305)

9. Third Party Collection. The Governor and House removed a section requiring a report on the feasibility of a pilot project for third party collection of victims' restitution, court ordered fines and costs. (Sec. 306a)

10. Court of Appeals Delay Reduction. The Governor and House removed a section requiring $312,500 in fee revenue to be used for the purposes of delay reduction. (Sec. 307)

11. Pilot Mental Health Courts. The Governor and House added language requiring the state court administrative office to work with the Department of Community Health to develop guidelines for pilot mental health courts, and requiring trial courts to work with local community mental health programs to apply for funding for these pilot courts. The section also requires that $100,000 of the appropriation be used for training for court personnel and local law enforcement. (Sec. 309)

12. Drug Treatment Courts. The Governor and House removed language requiring that drug treatment court programs handle cases involving substance abusing nonviolent offenders. The Governor and House also removed subsection (2), which encouraged local units of government to refer to Federal drug treatment court guidelines to prepare proposals. (Sec. 311)

13. Parental Rights Restoration Act. The Governor and House removed the reporting requirement for the number of petitions filed and granted under this act. (Sec. 312)

14. Mental Health Treatment Courts. The Governor and House removed a section requiring that SCAO evaluate strategies respond to defendants with mental illness, including mental health treatment courts. (Sec. 316)

15. Local Government Grants. The House added language providing grants to several district courts for security upgrades and upgrades to central dispatch offices. (Sec. 318)

Date Completed: 3-31-08 Fiscal Analyst: Stephanie Yu Bill Analysis @ http://www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations. Hijud_hp