Judicial branch May Revision includes proposed pretrial reduction, jury‑duty pilot reversion and SB 549 implementation funds

The judicial branch presented its May Revision changes to the Assembly Subcommittee on Public Safety, outlining a mix of cuts, reappropriations and statutory language changes aimed at addressing projected budget shortfalls.

Mark Jimenez of the Department of Finance said the May Revision includes funding to implement the Access to Justice Act (SB 549), reductions to several facilities and program backfills, and a one‑time reduction of $20,000,000 to the pretrial release program (from a current $70,000,000 allocation down to $50,000,000 ongoing). The package also proposes reverting up to $27,500,000 of unspent jury duty pilot funds and statutory changes to eliminate the pilot while maintaining baseline costs to implement parts of the enacted law.

LAO’s Anita Lee told the committee the administration’s proposed $38,000,000 one‑time transfer from unrestricted monies in the trial court trust fund is not inherently problematic but recommended the Legislature tighten budget‑bill language to specify which sources of unrestricted funding may be considered and to require a 30‑day notification to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee before any transfer. On the pretrial reduction, LAO warned the cut could reduce service levels in some counties. The LAO noted that in fiscal 2024‑25 the judicial branch reported it was on track to spend most of its allocation and that unspent reversions in prior years were driven by ramp‑up and hiring delays; LAO said reduced spending this year would risk increases in pretrial detention in some areas.

Committee members pressed Finance and the judicial branch on the concrete impacts of the proposed pretrial reduction. The judicial branch representative said it was too soon to assess exact operational effects, but noted fewer probation resources could reduce options during pretrial processing and potentially lengthen the time individuals remain detained pretrial in some counties. Department of Finance said the May Revision includes statutory language to allow reallocation of unspent funds among trial courts as a partial mitigation.

The May Revision also withdraws a governor’s‑budget cap‑outlay proposal for a new Tracy courthouse performance phase and proposes ongoing reductions to trial court employee health benefits and other solutions intended to create general fund savings. Public commenters, labor unions and probation and county representatives urged restoring pretrial funds, recommended protecting court reporter recruitment funding, and asked for clarity on Prop 36 implementation funding.

Ending: The committee requested additional oversight language and reporting around the proposed transfers and asked the judicial branch and Department of Finance for more detailed impact assessments on the pretrial program and jury pilot reversion before final budget action.