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LSO flags judicial branch requests, including $77,900 for 2nd Judicial District CASA supports
Summary
A Legislative Services Office analyst told the Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee the judicial branch seeks modest FY27 enhancements including roughly $77,900 to support the 2nd Judicial District guardian ad litem/CASA program (trainer, recruiter, audit and lease costs) and a request to cover magistrate retirement bonuses.
Janica Bisharat, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, briefed the Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee on FY27 enhancement requests for the judicial branch.
Bisharat said the judicial branch’s FY26 appropriation was about $103.6 million (roughly $77.8 million from the general fund) and highlighted a request that would add $77,900 in pass-through funds for the 2nd Judicial District’s guardian ad litem (CASA) program to cover a trainer, recruiter, auditing expenses, office lease and insurance. She noted the CASA programs are statutorily required to recruit, train and coordinate volunteers.
Bisharat also told senators that seven magistrate judges filed timely retirement notices under a 2024 change that created a $25,000 retirement bonus; six of those judges requested consideration of a PERSI purchase-of-service. LSO said the court’s current dedicated appropriation of $600,000 is not sufficient and the court requested an increase of about $800,700 from a dedicated fund to cover the expected costs.
Senator Wintrow and others asked for more detail about how CASA programs are funded and where gaps exist; Bisharat pointed members to the Guardian ad litem annual report on the legislative portal for a district-by-district revenue and expenditure breakdown. The committee did not take final action on these budget requests during the briefing.
