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House File 2558 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to appropriations to the judicial branch.
2BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. JUDICIAL BRANCH.
21. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state
3to the judicial branch for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
42022, and ending June 30, 2023, the following amounts, or so
5much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes
6designated:
7a. For salaries of supreme court justices, appellate court
8judges, district court judges, district associate judges,
9associate juvenile judges, associate probate judges, judicial
10magistrates and staff, state court administrator, clerk of
11the supreme court, district court administrators, clerks of
12the district court, juvenile court officers, board of law
13examiners, board of examiners of shorthand reporters, and
14commission on judicial qualifications; receipt and disbursement
15of child support payments; reimbursement of the auditor
16of state for expenses incurred in completing audits of the
17offices of the clerks of the district court during the fiscal
18year beginning July 1, 2022; and maintenance, equipment, and
19miscellaneous purposes:
.................................................. $20194,031,188
21From the moneys appropriated in this paragraph, the
22judicial branch shall fund the appointment of four new district
23associate judge positions and the associated support staff.
24b. For deposit in the revolving fund created pursuant to
25section 602.1302, subsection 3, for jury and witness fees,
26mileage, costs related to summoning jurors, costs and fees for
27interpreters and translators, and reimbursement of attorney
28fees paid by the state public defender:
.................................................. $293,600,000
30c. For a 5.9 percent salary increase for all state court
31justices, judges, and magistrates:
.................................................. $322,969,362
332. The judicial branch, except for purposes of internal
34processing, shall use the current state budget system, the
35state payroll system, and the Iowa finance and accounting
-1-1system in administration of programs and payments for services,
2and shall not duplicate the state payroll, accounting, and
3budgeting systems.
43. The judicial branch shall submit monthly financial
5statements to the legislative services agency and the
6department of management containing all appropriated accounts
7in the same manner as provided in the monthly financial status
8reports and personal services usage reports of the department
9of administrative services. The monthly financial statements
10shall include a comparison of the dollars and percentage
11spent of budgeted versus actual revenues and expenditures on
12a cumulative basis for full-time equivalent positions and
13dollars.
144. The judicial branch shall focus efforts upon the
15collection of delinquent fines, penalties, court costs, fees,
16surcharges, or similar amounts.
175. It is the intent of the general assembly that the offices
18of the clerks of the district court operate in all 99 counties
19and be accessible to the public as much as is reasonably
20possible in order to address the relative needs of the citizens
21of each county. An office of the clerk of the district court
22shall be open regular courthouse hours.
236. In addition to the requirements for transfers under
24section 8.39, the judicial branch shall not change the
25appropriations from the amounts appropriated to the judicial
26branch in this Act, unless notice of the revisions is given to
27the legislative services agency prior to the effective date.
28The notice shall include information on the judicial branch’s
29rationale for making the changes and details concerning the
30workload and performance measures upon which the changes are
31based.
327. The judicial branch shall submit a semiannual update
33to the legislative services agency specifying the amounts of
34fines, surcharges, and court costs collected using the Iowa
35court information system since the last report. The judicial
-2-1branch shall continue to facilitate the sharing of vital
2sentencing and other information with other state departments
3and governmental agencies involved in the criminal justice
4system through the Iowa court information system.
58. The judicial branch shall provide a report to the general
6assembly by January 1, 2023, concerning the amounts received
7and expended from the court technology and modernization fund
8created in section 602.8108, subsection 7, during the fiscal
9year beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2022, and the
10plans for expenditures from each fund during the fiscal year
11beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023.
12 Sec. 2. CIVIL TRIALS — LOCATION. Notwithstanding any
13provision to the contrary, for the fiscal year beginning July
141, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023, if all parties in a case
15agree, a civil trial including a jury trial may take place in a
16county contiguous to the county with proper jurisdiction, even
17if the contiguous county is located in an adjacent judicial
18district or judicial election district. If the trial is moved
19pursuant to this section, court personnel shall treat the case
20as if a change of venue occurred.
21 Sec. 3. TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT. Notwithstanding section
22602.1509, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and
23ending June 30, 2023, a judicial officer may waive travel
24reimbursement for any travel outside the judicial officer’s
25county of residence to conduct official judicial business.
26 Sec. 4. JUDICIAL OFFICER — UNPAID LEAVE. Notwithstanding
27the annual salary rates for judicial officers established by
282021 Iowa Acts, chapter 168, section 6, for the fiscal year
29beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023, the supreme
30court may by order place all judicial officers on unpaid leave
31status on any day employees of the judicial branch are placed
32on temporary layoff status. The biweekly pay of the judicial
33officers shall be reduced accordingly for the pay period in
34which the unpaid leave date occurred in the same manner as
35for noncontract employees of the judicial branch. Through
-3-1the course of the fiscal year, the judicial branch may use an
2amount equal to the aggregate amount of salary reductions due
3to the judicial officer unpaid leave days for any purpose other
4than for judicial salaries.
5 Sec. 5. IOWA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. It is the intent
6of the general assembly that the judicial branch utilize
7the Iowa communications network or other secure electronic
8communications in lieu of traveling for the fiscal year
9beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023.
10 Sec. 6. Section 602.9116, Code 2022, is amended by adding
11the following new subsection:
12 NEW SUBSECTION. 3. The court administrator shall submit
13to the general assembly a copy of each actuarial valuation and
14annual actuarial update.
15EXPLANATION
16The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
17the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
18This bill makes appropriations to the judicial branch.
19The bill appropriates from the general fund of the state for
20FY 2022-2023 to the judicial branch for salaries, receipt and
21disbursement of child support payments, reimbursement of the
22auditor of state, maintenance, equipment, and miscellaneous
23purposes, for deposit in the revolving fund created pursuant to
24Code section 602.1302(3) for certain purposes, and for a 5.9
25percent salary increase for state court justices, judges, and
26magistrates.
27The bill provides that a civil trial including a jury trial
28may take place in a county contiguous to the county with proper
29jurisdiction, even if the contiguous county is located in an
30adjacent judicial district or judicial election district, if
31all the parties in a case agree. If a trial is moved to another
32county that is located in another judicial district or judicial
33election district, the judicial officers serving the judicial
34district or judicial election district receiving the case shall
35preside over the case.
-4- 1The bill permits a judicial officer to waive travel
2reimbursement for any travel outside the judicial officer’s
3county of residence to conduct official business.
4The bill allows a judicial officer to be placed on unpaid
5leave for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, on any day a
6court employee is required to furlough. The bill provides that
7if a judicial officer is placed on unpaid leave, the salary of
8the judicial officer shall be reduced accordingly for the pay
9period in which the unpaid leave occurred. Through the course
10of the fiscal year, the bill provides that the judicial branch
11may use an amount equal to the aggregate amount of the salary
12reductions due to judicial officer unpaid leave for any purpose
13other than judicial salaries.
14The bill states legislative intent that the judicial
15branch utilize the Iowa communications network or other secure
16electronic communications in lieu of traveling.
17The bill requires the court administrator to provide the
18general assembly with a copy of each actuarial valuation and
19annual actuarial update.
-5-as/tm
2BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. JUDICIAL BRANCH.
21. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state
3to the judicial branch for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
42022, and ending June 30, 2023, the following amounts, or so
5much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes
6designated:
7a. For salaries of supreme court justices, appellate court
8judges, district court judges, district associate judges,
9associate juvenile judges, associate probate judges, judicial
10magistrates and staff, state court administrator, clerk of
11the supreme court, district court administrators, clerks of
12the district court, juvenile court officers, board of law
13examiners, board of examiners of shorthand reporters, and
14commission on judicial qualifications; receipt and disbursement
15of child support payments; reimbursement of the auditor
16of state for expenses incurred in completing audits of the
17offices of the clerks of the district court during the fiscal
18year beginning July 1, 2022; and maintenance, equipment, and
19miscellaneous purposes:
.................................................. $20194,031,188
21From the moneys appropriated in this paragraph, the
22judicial branch shall fund the appointment of four new district
23associate judge positions and the associated support staff.
24b. For deposit in the revolving fund created pursuant to
25section 602.1302, subsection 3, for jury and witness fees,
26mileage, costs related to summoning jurors, costs and fees for
27interpreters and translators, and reimbursement of attorney
28fees paid by the state public defender:
.................................................. $293,600,000
30c. For a 5.9 percent salary increase for all state court
31justices, judges, and magistrates:
.................................................. $322,969,362
332. The judicial branch, except for purposes of internal
34processing, shall use the current state budget system, the
35state payroll system, and the Iowa finance and accounting
-1-1system in administration of programs and payments for services,
2and shall not duplicate the state payroll, accounting, and
3budgeting systems.
43. The judicial branch shall submit monthly financial
5statements to the legislative services agency and the
6department of management containing all appropriated accounts
7in the same manner as provided in the monthly financial status
8reports and personal services usage reports of the department
9of administrative services. The monthly financial statements
10shall include a comparison of the dollars and percentage
11spent of budgeted versus actual revenues and expenditures on
12a cumulative basis for full-time equivalent positions and
13dollars.
144. The judicial branch shall focus efforts upon the
15collection of delinquent fines, penalties, court costs, fees,
16surcharges, or similar amounts.
175. It is the intent of the general assembly that the offices
18of the clerks of the district court operate in all 99 counties
19and be accessible to the public as much as is reasonably
20possible in order to address the relative needs of the citizens
21of each county. An office of the clerk of the district court
22shall be open regular courthouse hours.
236. In addition to the requirements for transfers under
24section 8.39, the judicial branch shall not change the
25appropriations from the amounts appropriated to the judicial
26branch in this Act, unless notice of the revisions is given to
27the legislative services agency prior to the effective date.
28The notice shall include information on the judicial branch’s
29rationale for making the changes and details concerning the
30workload and performance measures upon which the changes are
31based.
327. The judicial branch shall submit a semiannual update
33to the legislative services agency specifying the amounts of
34fines, surcharges, and court costs collected using the Iowa
35court information system since the last report. The judicial
-2-1branch shall continue to facilitate the sharing of vital
2sentencing and other information with other state departments
3and governmental agencies involved in the criminal justice
4system through the Iowa court information system.
58. The judicial branch shall provide a report to the general
6assembly by January 1, 2023, concerning the amounts received
7and expended from the court technology and modernization fund
8created in section 602.8108, subsection 7, during the fiscal
9year beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2022, and the
10plans for expenditures from each fund during the fiscal year
11beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023.
12 Sec. 2. CIVIL TRIALS — LOCATION. Notwithstanding any
13provision to the contrary, for the fiscal year beginning July
141, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023, if all parties in a case
15agree, a civil trial including a jury trial may take place in a
16county contiguous to the county with proper jurisdiction, even
17if the contiguous county is located in an adjacent judicial
18district or judicial election district. If the trial is moved
19pursuant to this section, court personnel shall treat the case
20as if a change of venue occurred.
21 Sec. 3. TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT. Notwithstanding section
22602.1509, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and
23ending June 30, 2023, a judicial officer may waive travel
24reimbursement for any travel outside the judicial officer’s
25county of residence to conduct official judicial business.
26 Sec. 4. JUDICIAL OFFICER — UNPAID LEAVE. Notwithstanding
27the annual salary rates for judicial officers established by
282021 Iowa Acts, chapter 168, section 6, for the fiscal year
29beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023, the supreme
30court may by order place all judicial officers on unpaid leave
31status on any day employees of the judicial branch are placed
32on temporary layoff status. The biweekly pay of the judicial
33officers shall be reduced accordingly for the pay period in
34which the unpaid leave date occurred in the same manner as
35for noncontract employees of the judicial branch. Through
-3-1the course of the fiscal year, the judicial branch may use an
2amount equal to the aggregate amount of salary reductions due
3to the judicial officer unpaid leave days for any purpose other
4than for judicial salaries.
5 Sec. 5. IOWA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. It is the intent
6of the general assembly that the judicial branch utilize
7the Iowa communications network or other secure electronic
8communications in lieu of traveling for the fiscal year
9beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023.
10 Sec. 6. Section 602.9116, Code 2022, is amended by adding
11the following new subsection:
12 NEW SUBSECTION. 3. The court administrator shall submit
13to the general assembly a copy of each actuarial valuation and
14annual actuarial update.
15EXPLANATION
16The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
17the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
18This bill makes appropriations to the judicial branch.
19The bill appropriates from the general fund of the state for
20FY 2022-2023 to the judicial branch for salaries, receipt and
21disbursement of child support payments, reimbursement of the
22auditor of state, maintenance, equipment, and miscellaneous
23purposes, for deposit in the revolving fund created pursuant to
24Code section 602.1302(3) for certain purposes, and for a 5.9
25percent salary increase for state court justices, judges, and
26magistrates.
27The bill provides that a civil trial including a jury trial
28may take place in a county contiguous to the county with proper
29jurisdiction, even if the contiguous county is located in an
30adjacent judicial district or judicial election district, if
31all the parties in a case agree. If a trial is moved to another
32county that is located in another judicial district or judicial
33election district, the judicial officers serving the judicial
34district or judicial election district receiving the case shall
35preside over the case.
-4- 1The bill permits a judicial officer to waive travel
2reimbursement for any travel outside the judicial officer’s
3county of residence to conduct official business.
4The bill allows a judicial officer to be placed on unpaid
5leave for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, on any day a
6court employee is required to furlough. The bill provides that
7if a judicial officer is placed on unpaid leave, the salary of
8the judicial officer shall be reduced accordingly for the pay
9period in which the unpaid leave occurred. Through the course
10of the fiscal year, the bill provides that the judicial branch
11may use an amount equal to the aggregate amount of the salary
12reductions due to judicial officer unpaid leave for any purpose
13other than judicial salaries.
14The bill states legislative intent that the judicial
15branch utilize the Iowa communications network or other secure
16electronic communications in lieu of traveling.
17The bill requires the court administrator to provide the
18general assembly with a copy of each actuarial valuation and
19annual actuarial update.
-5-as/tm