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Judicial Council approves report on superior court lactation rooms; outlines funding status and remaining needs
Summary
Council approved submission of its statutorily required report on expenditure of $15 million appropriated for lactation rooms and outlined remaining projects and estimated additional funding needs.
The Judicial Council voted on Feb. 21 to approve and submit its report to the Legislature on the use of $15 million appropriated for lactation rooms in superior courthouses, as required under Government Code section 69894.2.
Justice Stacey Bulwer Urie introduced the item and noted the statutory reporting requirement. Tamar Ahmed, director of Judicial Council Facilities Services, presented the status: the $15 million appropriation supports planned lactation room projects across superior courthouses, with 103 projects funded or planned for completion using the appropriation and expected full expenditure of the $15 million by June 30, 2026. Ahmed said, "To date, a total of 103 lactation room projects are planned for completion with the $15,000,000. All $15,000,000 in funds will be fully expended by 06/30/2026." He further reported that 32 projects have been completed at an average cost cited in the presentation (roughly $109,200–$109,700), 71 projects are in design or construction (35 pods at an average cost of about $138,200 and 36 alterations at about $142,200), and that an additional $50.5 million would be needed to complete lactation-room projects in remaining courthouses beyond the current plan.
Council members asked for clarification about which projects are funded, which are in progress, and which would remain uncompleted without additional funds. Ahmed said the council must approve the report for submission to the Legislature by March 1; council moved and approved that action. Council staff agreed to follow up with a more detailed staging update for members and to provide clarity about the consequences if proposed governor's budget funding is not enacted.
Next steps: the council-approved report will be filed with the Legislature by March 1 as required. Staff will provide a supplemental update to council members about project staging, partially completed projects, and funding contingencies if governor-proposed funding is not enacted.
