Committee advances code changes on judicial operations fund amid concerns about fee funding and salaries

Senator Wiggins (Speaker 12) reviewed SB2890, a committee substitute that brings forward code sections for the judicial system operation fund. Wiggins said the substitute repealed the fund itself so that, as drafted, court operations would default to the general fund. He told members the fund historically relied on court fees and is no longer keeping up with obligations such as judge raises, youth-court operations and court staffing costs.

Members raised the risk that tying multiple salaries and positions to judiciary raises could create large budgetary effects and asked whether the State Personnel Board (SPB) or the legislature should set parameters for compensation analysis. Wiggins said SPB had performed comparative analyses at AOC's request and that the issue involves many moving parts that require coordination with appropriators; the committee moved the bill forward on a title-sufficient motion.