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Interbranch advisory committee warns $105M shortfall will strain courts; AOC and OPD lay out funding requests
Summary
Judicial and legislative leaders said a roughly $105,000,000 budget shortfall will force program cuts in the 2026 session and outlined priority funding requests, including roughly $10 million for public defense, $3 million to continue tenant counsel and continued support for Blake vacates and water‑rights adjudications.
Chief Justice Deborah Stevens, co‑chairing the Center Branch Advisory Committee, opened the meeting by framing the session as an information‑sharing forum and highlighted upcoming personnel changes at the state’s highest court. Senator Jamie Peterson and budget staff warned the state faces a sharply constrained outlook ahead of the 2026 session.
Why it matters: committee members said the shortfall will make new spending difficult and that most fixes will come from cuts rather than new revenue, placing pressure on statutory obligations and critical programs that support vulnerable people and court operations.
Chief Justice Stevens reviewed judicial updates including a forthcoming Supreme Court vacancy and steps to make court processes more navigable for…
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