Court administrators told the LaSalle County Law and Justice Committee that state reimbursement for court interpreter fees may run out before the end of the state fiscal year, leaving costs to the county.

"The funding for the reimbursements for the interpreters is going to run out by the end of the state's fiscal year, which is June 30," Laurie said. She told the committee the county has paid roughly $144,000 in interpreter fees this fiscal year, has received about $90,000 back and has about $55,000 still pending reimbursement.

Laurie said the county will need to schedule interpreters more efficiently and explore other options if reimbursements end early. She noted the Illinois Supreme Court is working on statewide guidelines but that counties currently face significant local price variation for interpreters (examples ranged in testimony from $60 to $150 per hour and flat fees for some languages).

Committee members discussed alternatives; one member suggested using pocket translation devices but Laurie said the Supreme Court prefers in-person interpretation and that Zoom interpreting remains an option.

Laurie also updated the committee on the court technology modernization grant, which she said has historically provided significant equipment (computers, printers and scanners) but this year may allocate roughly $40,000 per county. She asked the committee to help prioritize how any reduced grant funds should be spent.

The committee did not take formal action at the meeting. Staff said they will advise finance and the county auditor and present ideas to judges about potential cost-saving and scheduling strategies for interpreter use.