Senate File 435 SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1181) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to and making appropriations to the judicial 2 branch. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1126SV 80 5 jm/cl/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. JUDICIAL BRANCH. There is appropriated from 1 2 the general fund of the state to the judicial branch for the 1 3 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2004, 1 4 the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to 1 5 be used for the purposes designated: 1 6 For salaries of supreme court justices, appellate court 1 7 judges, district court judges, district associate judges, 1 8 judicial magistrates and staff, state court administrator, 1 9 clerk of the supreme court, district court administrators, 1 10 clerks of the district court, juvenile court officers, board 1 11 of law examiners and board of examiners of shorthand reporters 1 12 and judicial qualifications commission, receipt and 1 13 disbursement of child support payments, reimbursement of the 1 14 auditor of state for expenses incurred in completing audits of 1 15 the offices of the clerks of the district court during the 1 16 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, and maintenance, 1 17 equipment, and miscellaneous purposes: 1 18 .................................................. $113,354,603 1 19 1. The judicial branch, except for purposes of internal 1 20 processing, shall use the current state budget system, the 1 21 state payroll system, and the Iowa finance and accounting 1 22 system in administration of programs and payments for 1 23 services, and shall not duplicate the state payroll, 1 24 accounting, and budgeting systems. 1 25 2. The judicial branch shall submit monthly financial 1 26 statements to the legislative fiscal bureau and the department 1 27 of management containing all appropriated accounts in the same 1 28 manner as provided in the monthly financial status reports and 1 29 personal services usage reports of the department of revenue 1 30 and finance. The monthly financial statements shall include a 1 31 comparison of the dollars and percentage spent of budgeted 1 32 versus actual revenues and expenditures on a cumulative basis 1 33 for full=time equivalent positions and dollars. 1 34 3. The judicial branch shall focus efforts upon the 1 35 collection of delinquent fines, penalties, court costs, fees, 2 1 surcharges, or similar amounts. 2 2 4. It is the intent of the general assembly that the 2 3 offices of the clerks of the district court operate in all 2 4 ninety=nine counties and be accessible to the public as much 2 5 as is reasonably possible in order to address the relative 2 6 needs of the citizens of each county. 2 7 5. In addition to the requirements for transfers under 2 8 section 8.39, the judicial branch shall not change the 2 9 appropriations from the amounts appropriated to the judicial 2 10 branch in this Act, unless notice of the revisions is given 2 11 prior to their effective date to the legislative fiscal 2 12 bureau. The notice shall include information on the branch's 2 13 rationale for making the changes and details concerning the 2 14 work load and performance measures upon which the changes are 2 15 based. 2 16 6. The judicial branch shall submit a semiannual update to 2 17 the legislative fiscal bureau specifying the amounts of fines, 2 18 surcharges, and court costs collected using the Iowa court 2 19 information system since the last report. The judicial branch 2 20 shall continue to facilitate the sharing of vital sentencing 2 21 and other information with other state departments and 2 22 governmental agencies involved in the criminal justice system 2 23 through the Iowa court information system. 2 24 7. The judicial branch shall provide a report to the 2 25 general assembly by January 1, 2004, concerning the amounts 2 26 received and expended from the enhanced court collections fund 2 27 created in section 602.1304 and the court technology and 2 28 modernization fund created in section 602.8108, subsection 5, 2 29 during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002, and ending June 2 30 30, 2003, and the plans for expenditures from each fund during 2 31 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2 32 2004. A copy of the report shall be provided to the 2 33 legislative fiscal bureau. 2 34 8. The supreme court, in consultation with the Iowa state 2 35 bar association and district judges, shall study methods to 3 1 achieve efficiency and cost savings within the judicial 3 2 branch. The state public defender, juvenile probation 3 3 officers, clerks of the district court, the legal services 3 4 corporation of Iowa, the supervisors affiliate of the Iowa 3 5 state association of counties, the judicial district 3 6 department of correctional services, the Iowa county attorneys 3 7 association, and other interested departments, agencies, or 3 8 organizations may each file a report with the supreme court 3 9 detailing their recommendations on achieving efficiency and 3 10 cost savings within the judicial branch by October 1, 2003. 3 11 The study shall include recommendations on the best practices 3 12 for court administration, utilizing court personnel including 3 13 judges, magistrates, and clerks of the district court, 3 14 customer service and delivery of court services, measuring of 3 15 performance and performance=based budgeting, and judicial 3 16 district redistricting. The supreme court, after consulting 3 17 with the Iowa state bar association and the district judges, 3 18 and after reviewing the reports filed by the interested 3 19 departments, agencies, or organizations, shall submit a report 3 20 with findings and recommendations to the general assembly by 3 21 December 15, 2003. 3 22 Sec. 2. JUDICIAL RETIREMENT FUND. There is appropriated 3 23 from the general fund of the state to the judicial retirement 3 24 fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, and ending 3 25 June 30, 2004, the following amount, or so much thereof as is 3 26 necessary, to be used for the purpose designated: 3 27 Notwithstanding section 602.9104, for the state's 3 28 contribution to the judicial retirement fund in the amount of 3 29 8.4 percent of the basic salaries of the judges covered under 3 30 chapter 602, article 9: 3 31 .................................................. $ 2,039,664 3 32 Sec. 3. APPOINTMENT OF CLERK OF COURT. The appointment of 3 33 a clerk of the district court shall not occur unless the state 3 34 court administrator approves the appointment. 3 35 Sec. 4. POSTING OF REPORTS IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT == 4 1 LEGISLATIVE FISCAL BUREAU. All reports or copies of reports 4 2 required to be provided by the judicial branch for fiscal year 4 3 2003=2004 to the legislative fiscal bureau shall be provided 4 4 in an electronic format. The legislative fiscal bureau shall 4 5 post the reports on its internet site and shall notify by 4 6 electronic means all the members of the joint appropriations 4 7 subcommittee on the justice system when a report is posted. 4 8 Upon request, copies of the reports may be mailed to members 4 9 of the joint appropriations subcommittee on the justice 4 10 system. 4 11 EXPLANATION 4 12 This bill makes appropriations for FY 2003=2004 to the 4 13 judicial branch. 4 14 The bill includes a reduction in the percentage of the 4 15 state's contribution to the judicial retirement fund for FY 4 16 2003=2004. 4 17 The bill provides that the appointment of a clerk of the 4 18 district court shall not occur unless the state court 4 19 administrator approves such an appointment. 4 20 LSB 1126SV 80 4 21 jm/cl/14