SENATE BILL No. 275

 

 

March 2, 2005, Introduced by Senators PRUSI and EMERSON and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

 

EXECUTIVE BUDGET BILL

 

 

   A bill to make appropriations for the judicial branch for the

 

fiscal year ending September 30, 2006; to provide for the

 

expenditure of these appropriations; to place certain restrictions

 

on the expenditure of these appropriations; to prescribe the powers

 

and duties of certain officials and employees; to require certain

 

reports; and to provide for the disposition of fees and other

 

income received by the judicial branch.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

PART 1

 

LINE-ITEM APPROPRIATIONS

 

   Sec. 101.  Subject to the conditions set forth in this bill, the

 

amounts listed in this part are appropriated for the judicial

 


branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, from the

 

funds indicated in this part.  The following is a summary of the

 

appropriations in this part:

 

JUDICIARY

 

APPROPRIATION SUMMARY:

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions............ 582.5

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $    257,728,800

 

   Interdepartmental grant revenues:

 

Total interdepartmental grants and intradepartmental

 

   transfers............................................         2,563,500

 

ADJUSTED GROSS APPROPRIATION........................... $    255,165,300

 

   Federal revenues:

 

Total federal revenues.................................         3,933,900

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Total local revenues...................................         3,466,000

 

Total private revenues.................................           842,500

 

Total other state restricted revenues..................        86,935,000

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $    159,987,900

 

    Sec. 102.  SUPREME COURT

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions............ 285.0

 

Supreme court administration--117.0 FTE positions...... $     11,355,900

 

Judicial institute--19.0 FTE positions.................         2,762,100

 

State court administrative office--79.0 FTE

 

   positions............................................        10,530,100

 

Judicial information systems--21.0 FTE positions.......         2,591,500

 

Direct trial court automation support--33.0 FTE

 

   positions............................................         3,466,000

 


Foster care review board--12.0 FTE positions...........         1,270,800

 

Community dispute resolution--4.0 FTE positions........         2,271,300

 

Other federal grants...................................           275,000

 

Drug treatment courts..................................        4,735,000

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $     39,257,700

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Interdepartmental grant revenues:

 

IDG from department of career development..............            40,000

 

IDG from state police - Michigan justice training

 

   fund.................................................           300,000

 

IDG from department of community health................         1,800,000

 

   Federal revenues:

 

DOJ, victims assistance programs.......................            50,000

 

DOJ, drug court training and evaluation................           300,000

 

DOT, national highway traffic safety administration....           100,000

 

HHS, access and visitation grant.......................           387,000

 

HHS, children’s justice grant..........................           206,300

 

HHS, court improvement project.........................         1,160,000

 

HHS, title IV-D child support program..................           907,700

 

HHS, title IV-E foster care program....................           547,900

 

Other federal grant revenues...........................           275,000

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Local - user fees......................................         3,466,000

 

Private revenues.......................................           169,000

 

Private - interest on lawyers trust accounts...........           232,700

 

Private - state justice institute......................           370,800

 

Community dispute resolution fund......................        2,271,300

 


Law exam fees..........................................           482,100

 

Drug court fund........................................         1,920,500

 

Miscellaneous revenue..................................           227,900

 

Justice system fund....................................           700,000

 

State court fund.......................................           339,000

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $     23,004,500

 

    Sec. 103.  COURT OF APPEALS

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions............ 228.5

 

Court of appeals operations--228.5 FTE positions....... $     19,047,700

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $     19,047,700

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Court filing/motion fees...............................         1,721,000

 

Miscellaneous revenue..................................            77,800

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $     17,248,900

 

    Sec. 104.  BRANCHWIDE APPROPRIATIONS

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions.............. 4.0

 

Branchwide appropriations--4.0 FTE positions........... $      8,051,900

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      8,051,900

 

   Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $      8,051,900

 

    Sec. 105.  JUSTICES' AND JUDGES' COMPENSATION

 

   Full-time judges positions...................... 613.0

 

Supreme court justices’ salaries--7.0 judges........... $      1,152,300

 

Court of appeals judges’ salaries--28.0 judges.........         4,240,300

 

District court judges’ state base salaries--258.0

 


   judges...............................................        23,877,200

 

District court judicial salary standardization.........        11,796,800

 

Probate court judges’ state base salaries--103.0

 

judges...............................................         9,108,600

 

Probate court judicial salary standardization..........         4,389,800

 

Circuit court judges’ state base salaries--217.0

 

   judges...............................................        20,440,400

 

Circuit court judicial salary standardization..........         9,922,100

 

Judges’ retirement system defined contributions........         2,919,200

 

OASI, social security..................................        4,733,900

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $     92,580,600

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Court fee fund.........................................         7,090,200

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $     85,490,400

 

    Sec. 106.  JUDICIAL AGENCIES

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions............. 10.0

 

Judicial tenure commission--10.0 FTE positions......... $      1,072,900

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      1,072,900

 

   Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $      1,072,900

 

    Sec. 107.  INDIGENT DEFENSE - CRIMINAL

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions............. 55.0

 

Appellate public defender program--47.0 FTE positions.. $      4,872,900

 

Appellate assigned counsel administration--8.0 FTE

 

   positions............................................          887,000

 


GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      5,759,900

 

   Appropriated from:

 

    Interdepartmental grant revenues:

 

IDG from state police - Michigan justice training

 

   fund.................................................           423,500

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Private - interest on lawyers trust accounts...........            70,000

 

Miscellaneous revenue..................................           113,100

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $      5,153,300

 

    Sec. 108.  INDIGENT CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE

 

Indigent civil legal assistance........................ $      7,937,000

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      7,937,000

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

State court fund.......................................         7,937,000

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $              0

 

    Sec. 109.  TRIAL COURT OPERATIONS

 

Court equity fund reimbursements....................... $     70,406,000

 

Judicial technology improvement fund...................        4,465,000

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $     74,871,000

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Court equity fund......................................        50,440,000

 

Judicial technology improvement fund...................         4,465,000

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $     19,966,000

 

    Sec. 110.  GRANTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

 

Drug case-flow program................................. $        250,000

 


Drunk driving case-flow program........................         2,300,000

 

Juror compensation reimbursement.......................         6,600,000

 

Transcript fee reimbursement...........................              100

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      9,150,100

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Drug fund..............................................           250,000

 

Drunk driving fund.....................................         2,300,000

 

Juror compensation fund................................         6,600,000

 

Transcript fee fund....................................               100

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $              0

 

 

 

 

 

PART 2

 

PROVISIONS CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS

 

GENERAL SECTIONS

 

   Sec. 201.  Pursuant to section 30 of article IX of the state

 

constitution of 1963, total state spending from state resources

 

under part 1 for fiscal year 2005-2006 is $246,922,900.00 and state

 

spending from state resources to be paid to local units of

 

government for fiscal year 2005-2006 is estimated at

 

$124,962,500.00.  The itemized statement below identifies

 

appropriations from which spending to units of local government

 

will occur:

 

JUDICIARY

 

SUPREME COURT

 

State court administrative office...................... $        511,900

 


Drug treatment courts..................................         4,435,000

 

TRIAL COURT OPERATIONS

 

Court equity fund reimbursements....................... $     70,406,000

 

Judicial technology improvement fund...................         4,465,000

 

JUSTICES’ AND JUDGES’ COMPENSATION

 

District court judicial salary standardization......... $     11,796,800

 

Probate court judges’ state base salaries..............         9,108,600

 

Probate court judicial salary standardization..........         4,389,800

 

Circuit court judicial salary standardization..........         9,922,100

 

Grant to OASI contribution fund, employers share,

 

   social security......................................           777,200

 

GRANTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

 

Drunk driving case-flow program........................ $      2,300,000

 

Drug case-flow program.................................           250,000

 

Juror compensation reimbursement.......................         6,600,000

 

Transcript fee reimbursement...........................              100

 

TOTAL.................................................. $    124,962,500

 

   Sec. 202.  (1) The appropriations authorized under this bill are

 

subject to the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1101

 

to 18.1594.

 

   (2) Funds appropriated in part 1 to an entity within the

 

judicial branch shall not be expended or transferred to another

 

account without written approval of the authorized agent of the

 

judicial entity.  If the authorized agent of the judicial entity

 

notifies the state budget director of its approval of an

 

expenditure or transfer, the state budget director shall

 

immediately make the expenditure or transfer.  The authorized

 


judicial entity agent shall be designated by the chief justice of

 

the supreme court.

 

   Sec. 203.  As used in this bill:

 

   (a)  "DOJ" means the United States department of justice.

 

   (b)  "DOT" means the United States department of transportation.

 

   (c)  "FTE" means full-time equated.

 

   (d)  "HHS" means the United States department of health and

 

human services.

 

   (e)  "IDG" means interdepartmental grant.

 

   (f)  "OASI" means old age survivor's insurance.

 

   Sec. 208.  The reporting requirements of this bill shall be

 

completed with the approval of, and at the direction, of the

 

supreme court.  Unless otherwise specified, the judicial branch

 

shall use the Internet to fulfill the reporting requirements of

 

this bill.  This requirement may include transmission of reports

 

via electronic mail to the recipients identified for each reporting

 

requirement, or it may include placement of reports on an Internet

 

or Intranet site.

 

   Sec. 215.  (1) Due to the current budgetary problems in this

 

state, out-of-state travel for the fiscal year ending September 30,

 

2006 shall be limited to situations in which 1 or more of the

 

following conditions apply:

 

   (a)  The travel is required by legal mandate or court order or

 

for law enforcement purposes.

 

   (b)  The travel is necessary to protect the health or safety of

 

Michigan citizens or visitors or to assist other states in similar

 

circumstances.

 


   (c)  The travel is necessary to produce budgetary savings or to

 

increase state revenues, including protecting existing federal

 

funds or securing additional federal funds.

 

   (d)  The travel is necessary to comply with federal

 

requirements.

 

   (e)  The travel is necessary to secure specialized training for

 

staff that is not available within this state.

 

   (f)  The travel is financed entirely by federal or nonstate

 

funds.

 

   (2) If out-of-state travel is necessary but does not meet 1 or

 

more of the conditions in subsection (1), the chief justice or his

 

or her designee may grant an exception to allow the travel.  Any

 

exceptions granted by the chief justice or his or her designee

 

shall be reported on a monthly basis to the senate and house of

 

representatives standing committees on appropriations.

 

   (3) Not later than January 1 of each year, the state court

 

administrative office shall prepare a travel report listing all

 

travel by judicial branch employees outside this state in the

 

immediately preceding fiscal year that was funded in whole or in

 

part with funds appropriated in the budget for the judicial branch. 

 

The report shall be submitted to the chairs and members of the

 

senate and house of representatives standing committees on

 

appropriations, the fiscal agencies, and the state budget director. 

 

The report shall include the following information:

 

   (a)  The name of each person receiving reimbursement for travel

 

outside this state or whose travel costs were paid by this state.

 

   (b)  The destination of each travel occurrence.

 


   (c)  The dates of each travel occurrence.

 

   (d)  A brief statement of the reason for each travel occurrence.

 

   (e)  The transportation and related costs of each travel

 

occurrence, including the proportion funded with state general

 

fund/general purpose revenues, the proportion funded with state

 

restricted revenues, the proportion funded with federal revenues,

 

and the proportion funded with other revenues.

 

   (f)  A total of all out-of-state travel funded for the

 

immediately preceding fiscal year.

 

   Sec. 216.  (1) In addition to the funds appropriated in part 1,

 

there is appropriated an amount not to exceed $500,000.00 for

 

federal contingency funds.

 

   (2) In addition to the funds appropriated in part 1, there is

 

appropriated an amount not to exceed $500,000.00 for state

 

restricted contingency funds.

 

   (3) In addition to the funds appropriated in part 1, there is

 

appropriated an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 for local

 

contingency funds.

 

   (4) In addition to the funds appropriated in part 1, there is

 

appropriated an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 for private

 

contingency funds.

 

   (5) A transfer of contingency funds within the judicial branch

 

shall not be made by authorized agent of the judicial entity unless

 

approved by both appropriations committees.  If the state budget

 

director does not approve contingency fund transfers adopted by

 

both appropriations committees under this section, the state budget

 

director shall notify the appropriations committees of his or her

 


action within 15 days.

 

JUDICIAL BRANCH

 

   Sec. 301.  (1) The direct trial court automation support program

 

of the state court administrative office shall recover direct and

 

overhead costs from trial courts by charging for services rendered. 

 

The fee shall cover the actual costs incurred to the direct trial

 

court automation support program in providing the service.  A

 

report of amounts collected in excess of funds identified as user

 

service charges in part 1 shall be submitted to the state budget

 

director and to the house and senate appropriations subcommittees

 

on judiciary 30 days before expenditure by the direct trial court

 

automation support program.

 

   (2) From funds appropriated in part 1, the direct trial court

 

automation support program of the state court administrative office

 

shall provide to the state budget director, the senate and house

 

appropriations committees, and the senate and house fiscal agencies

 

before January 1 of each year, a detailed list of user service

 

charges collected during the immediately preceding state fiscal

 

year.

 

   Sec. 302.  Funds appropriated within the judicial branch shall

 

not be expended by any component within the judicial branch without

 

the approval of the supreme court.

 

   Sec. 303.  Of the amount appropriated in part 1 for the judicial

 

branch, $325,000.00 is allocated for circuit court reimbursement

 

under section 3 of 1978 PA 16, MCL 800.453, and $186,900.00 is

 

allocated for court of claims reimbursement under section 6413 of

 

the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.6413.

 


   Sec. 306.  The supreme court and the state court administrative

 

office shall continue to maintain, as a priority, the assisting of

 

local trial courts in improving the collection of judgments.

 

   Sec. 307.  From the funds appropriated in part 1 for court of

 

appeals operations, for the purpose of delay reductions, the

 

judiciary shall use $225,000.00 of additional filing fee revenue

 

raised from the increase from $250.00 to $375.00 in court of

 

appeals filing fees under section 321(1)(a) of the revised

 

judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.321.

 

   Sec. 308.  If sufficient funds are not available from the court

 

fee fund to pay judges’ compensation, the difference between the

 

appropriated amount from that fund for judges’ compensation and the

 

actual amount available after the amount appropriated for trial

 

court reimbursement is made shall be appropriated from the state

 

general fund for judges’ compensation.

 

   Sec. 310.  From the funds appropriated in part 1 for drug

 

treatment court programs, under the direction of the supreme court,

 

the state court administrative office shall contract with 1 or more

 

independent third parties for evaluation and monitoring of drug

 

court programs funded by the judiciary.  The evaluation shall

 

include measures of the impact of drug court programs in changing

 

offender criminal involvement (recidivism) and substance abuse and

 

in reducing prison admissions.  The evaluation of a program funded

 

with federal Byrne funds shall be consistent with any requirements

 

contained in the federal Byrne grant for that program.  Evaluations

 

required by this section shall to the extent feasible compare

 

offenders treated under the programs with other offenders of

 


similar characteristics.  Not later than April 1, 2006, the state

 

court administrative office shall provide a progress report

 

regarding the status and findings of the evaluation to the senate

 

and house appropriations subcommittees on the judiciary, the senate

 

and house fiscal agencies, and the state budget director.

 

   Sec. 311.  (1) The funds appropriated in part 1 for drug

 

treatment courts shall be administered by the state court

 

administrative office to operate drug treatment court programs.  A

 

drug treatment court program shall not receive funds for more than

 

5 years.  A drug treatment court shall be responsible for handling

 

cases involving substance abusing nonviolent offenders through

 

comprehensive supervision, testing, treatment services, and

 

immediate sanctions and incentives.  A drug treatment court shall

 

use all available county and state personnel involved in the

 

disposition of cases including, but not limited to, parole and

 

probation agents, prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, and

 

community corrections providers.  The funds may be used in

 

connection with other federal, state, and local funding sources.

 

   (2) Local units of government are encouraged to refer to federal

 

drug treatment court guidelines to prepare proposals.  However,

 

federal agency approvals are not required for funding under this

 

section.

 

   (3) From the funds appropriated in part 1, the chief justice

 

shall allocate sufficient funds for the judicial institute to

 

provide in-state training for those identified in subsection (1),

 

including training for new drug treatment court judges.

 

   (4) For drug treatment court grants, consideration for priority

 


may be given to those courts where higher instances of substance

 

abuse cases are filed.

 

   (5) The judiciary shall receive $1,800,000.00 in Byrne formula

 

grant funding as an interdepartmental grant from the department of

 

community health to be used for expansion of drug treatment courts,

 

to assist in avoiding prison bed space growth for nonviolent

 

offenders in collaboration with the department of corrections.

 

   Sec. 312.  From the funds appropriated in part 1, the state

 

court administrator shall produce a statistical report regarding

 

the implementation of the parental rights restoration act, 1990 PA

 

211, MCL 722.901 to 722.908, as it pertains to minors seeking a

 

court-issued waiver of parental consent.  The state court

 

administrative office shall report the total number of petitions

 

filed and the total number of petitions granted in accordance with

 

section 208.