Subcommittee adopts dash‑1 to House Bill 5012, moves Judicial Department budget to full committee

The Subcommittee on Public Safety on June 5 adopted a dash‑1 amendment to House Bill 5012, the primary budget measure for the Judicial Department for the 2025–27 biennium, and moved the bill to the full Ways and Means Committee with a due‑pass recommendation.

The Legislative Fiscal Office recommended the budget and the amendment that the subcommittee adopted. The dash‑1 amendment establishes a recommended budget that the LFO described as $872,966,983 in general fund, $1,023,600 in other funds, $5,408,623 in federal funds, for a total funds position count of 2,178 positions and 2,127.62 FTE. The LFO presentation also described a set of program packages and one‑time adjustments including shifts in criminal fines account allocations to the general fund.

Why it matters: The measure funds courts and court operations statewide and contains targeted investments the LFO highlighted as priorities for the coming biennium — including funding for court interpreters, positions to address the unrepresented defendant caseload, courthouse security grants and staffing, appellate and circuit court staff positions, and continuation of grant‑funded positions and planning dollars carried forward from prior federal grants.

What the LFO presented: LFO staff…