FIRST CONFERENCE REPORT

 

     The Committee of Conference on the matters of difference between the two Houses concerning

 

     Senate Bill No. 191, entitled

 

     A bill to make appropriations for the judiciary for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014; and to provide for the expenditure of the appropriations.

 

     Recommends:

 

     First:  That the House recede from the Substitute of the House as passed by the House.

 

 

     Second:  That the Senate and House agree to the Substitute of the Senate as passed by the Senate, amended to read as follows:

 

 

(attached)

 

     Third:  That the Senate and House agree to the title of the bill to read as follows:

 

     A bill to make appropriations for the judiciary for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014; and to provide for the expenditure of the appropriations.

 

 

 

_______________________                 ________________________

John Proos                              John Walsh

 

_______________________                 ________________________

Roger Kahn                              Rob VerHeulen

 

_______________________                 ________________________

Bert Johnson                            Pam Faris

 

Conferees for the Senate                Conferees for the House

 

This is our starting text

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUBSTITUTE FOR

 

SENATE BILL NO. 191

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     A bill to make appropriations for the judiciary for the fiscal

 

year ending September 30, 2014; and to provide for the expenditure

 

of the appropriations.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

PART 1

 

LINE-ITEM APPROPRIATIONS

 

     Sec. 101. There is appropriated for the judiciary for the

 

fiscal year ending September 30, 2014, from the following funds:

 

JUDICIARY

 

APPROPRIATION SUMMARY

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions............ 483.0

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $    283,414,100

 

   Interdepartmental grant revenues:


 

Total interdepartmental grants and intradepartmental

 

   transfers............................................         2,350,500

 

ADJUSTED GROSS APPROPRIATION........................... $    281,063,600

 

   Federal revenues:

 

Total federal revenues.................................         5,343,900

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Total local revenues...................................         7,133,100

 

Total private revenues.................................           931,500

 

Total other state restricted revenues..................        84,213,800

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $    183,441,300

 

    State general fund/general purpose schedule:

 

   Ongoing state general fund/general

 

    purpose.................................. 178,950,600

 

   One-time state general fund/general

 

    purpose.................................... 4,490,700

 

   Sec. 102.  SUPREME COURT

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions............ 245.0

 

Supreme court administration--92.0 FTE positions....... $     13,101,300

 

Judicial institute--13.0 FTE positions.................         2,132,900

 

State court administrative office--61.0 FTE positions..        11,590,900

 

Judicial information systems--22.0 FTE positions.......         3,012,000

 

Direct trial court automation support--44.0 FTE

 

   positions............................................         7,133,100

 

Foster care review board--10.0 FTE positions...........         1,271,000

 

Community dispute resolution--3.0 FTE positions........         2,360,600

 

Other federal grants...................................           275,100

 

Drug treatment courts..................................         9,583,000


 

Mental health courts...................................         4,100,000

 

Veterans courts........................................           500,000

 

Community court pilot project..........................            20,000

 

Swift and sure sanctions program.......................         6,000,000

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $     61,079,900

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Interdepartmental grant revenues:

 

IDG from department of state police....................         1,500,000

 

IDG from department of corrections.....................            50,000

 

IDG from state police - Michigan justice training fund.           334,500

 

   Federal revenues:

 

DOJ, victims assistance programs.......................            55,700

 

DOJ, drug court training and evaluation................           300,000

 

DOT, national highway traffic safety administration....           818,700

 

HHS, access and visitation grant.......................           604,900

 

HHS, children's justice grant..........................           226,800

 

HHS, court improvement project.........................         1,275,200

 

HHS, title IV-D child support program..................           997,900

 

HHS, title IV-E foster care program....................           381,300

 

Other federal grant revenues...........................           275,100

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Local - user fees......................................         7,133,100

 

Private................................................           185,900

 

Private - interest on lawyers trust accounts...........           255,700

 

Private - state justice institute......................           408,600

 

Community dispute resolution fund......................         2,360,600

 

Court of appeals filing/motion fees....................         1,641,800


 

Law exam fees..........................................           628,100

 

Drug court fund........................................         1,920,500

 

Miscellaneous revenue..................................           268,600

 

Justice system fund....................................           560,300

 

State court fund.......................................           372,700

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $     38,523,900

 

   Sec. 103.  COURT OF APPEALS

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions............ 175.0

 

Court of appeals operations--175.0 FTE positions....... $      22,248,500

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $     22,248,500

 

    Appropriated from:

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $     22,248,500

 

   Sec. 104.  BRANCHWIDE APPROPRIATIONS

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions.............. 4.0

 

Branchwide appropriations--4.0 FTE positions........... $       8,621,000

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      8,621,000

 

    Appropriated from:

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $      8,621,000

 

   Sec. 105.  JUSTICES' AND JUDGES' COMPENSATION

 

   Full-time judges positions...................... 605.0

 

Supreme court justices' salaries--7.0 justices......... $      1,152,300

 

Court of appeals judges' salaries--28.0 judges.........         4,240,300

 

District court judges' state base salaries--249.0

 

   judges...............................................        23,044,500

 

District court judicial salary standardization.........        11,385,300

 

Probate court judges' state base salaries--103.0

 

   judges...............................................         9,627,900


 

Probate court judicial salary standardization..........         4,669,600

 

Circuit court judges' state base salaries--218.0

 

   judges...............................................        20,534,600

 

Circuit court judicial salary standardization..........         9,967,900

 

Judges' retirement system defined contributions........         4,185,300

 

OASI, social security..................................         5,639,300

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $     94,447,000

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Court fee fund.........................................         2,988,100

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $     91,458,900

 

   Sec. 106.  JUDICIAL AGENCIES

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions.............. 7.0

 

Judicial tenure commission--7.0 FTE positions.......... $       1,101,700

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      1,101,700

 

    Appropriated from:

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $      1,101,700

 

   Sec. 107.  INDIGENT DEFENSE - CRIMINAL

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions............. 51.0

 

Appellate public defender program--44.0 FTE positions.. $      6,646,900

 

Appellate assigned counsel administration--7.0 FTE

 

   positions............................................         1,041,300

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      7,688,200

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Interdepartmental grant revenues:

 

IDG from state police - Michigan justice training fund.           466,000

 

   Federal revenues:


 

Other federal grant revenues...........................           408,300

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Private - interest on lawyers trust accounts...........            81,300

 

Miscellaneous revenue..................................           131,100

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $      6,601,500

 

   Sec. 108.  INDIGENT CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE

 

Indigent civil legal assistance........................ $       7,937,000

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      7,937,000

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

State court fund.......................................         7,937,000

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $              0

 

   Sec. 109.  TRIAL COURT OPERATIONS

 

Court equity fund reimbursements....................... $     60,835,100

 

Judicial technology improvement fund...................         4,815,000

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $     65,650,100

 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Court equity fund......................................        50,440,000

 

Judicial technology improvement fund...................         4,815,000

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $     10,395,100

 

   Sec. 110.  GRANTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS TO LOCAL

 

GOVERNMENT

 

Drug case-flow program................................. $        250,000

 

Drunk driving case-flow program........................         3,300,000

 

Juror compensation reimbursement.......................         6,600,000

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $     10,150,000


 

    Appropriated from:

 

   Special revenue funds:

 

Drug fund..............................................           250,000

 

Drunk driving fund.....................................         3,300,000

 

Juror compensation fund................................         6,600,000

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $              0

 

   Sec. 111. ONE-TIME BASIS ONLY APPROPRIATIONS

 

   Full-time equated exempted positions.............. 1.0

 

Trial court performance innovation fund--1.0 FTE

 

   positions............................................ $      1,000,000

 

MiCS case management system............................         3,490,700

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $      4,490,700

 

    Appropriated from:

 

State general fund/general purpose..................... $      4,490,700

 

 

 

 

 

PART 2

 

PROVISIONS CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS

 

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014

 

GENERAL SECTIONS

 

     Sec. 201. Pursuant to section 30 of article IX of the state

 

constitution of 1963, total state spending from state resources

 

under part 1 for fiscal year 2013-2014 is $267,655,100.00 and state

 

spending from state resources to be paid to local units of

 

government for fiscal year 2013-2014 is $136,975,300.00. The

 

itemized statement below identifies appropriations from which

 

spending to local units of government will occur:


 

JUDICIARY

 

SUPREME COURT

 

State court administrative office...................... $        511,900

 

Drug treatment courts..................................         9,283,000

 

Mental health courts...................................         3,997,600

 

Veterans courts........................................           485,000

 

Swift and sure sanctions...............................         5,900,000

 

TRIAL COURT OPERATIONS

 

Court equity fund reimbursements....................... $     60,835,100

 

Judicial technology improvement fund...................         4,815,000

 

Trial court innovations fund...........................           900,000

 

Michigan court system..................................         3,490,700

 

JUSTICES' AND JUDGES' COMPENSATION

 

District court judicial salary standardization......... $     11,385,300

 

Probate court judges' state base salaries..............         9,627,900

 

Probate court judicial salary standardization..........         4,669,600

 

Circuit court judicial salary standardization..........         9,967,900

 

Grant to OASI contribution fund, employers share,

 

    social security.....................................           956,300

 

GRANTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

 

Drunk driving case-flow program........................ $      3,300,000

 

Drug case-flow program.................................           250,000

 

Juror compensation reimbursement.......................         6,600,000

 

TOTAL.................................................. $    136,975,300

 

     Sec. 202. (1) The appropriations authorized under this act are

 

subject to the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1101

 

to 18.1594.


 

     (2) Funds appropriated in part 1 to an entity within the

 

judicial branch shall not be expended or transferred to another

 

account without written approval of the authorized agent of the

 

judicial entity. If the authorized agent of the judicial entity

 

notifies the state budget director of its approval of an

 

expenditure or transfer, the state budget director shall

 

immediately make the expenditure or transfer. The authorized

 

judicial entity agent shall be designated by the chief justice of

 

the supreme court.

 

     Sec. 203. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "DOJ" means the United States department of justice.

 

     (b) "DOT" means the United States department of

 

transportation.

 

     (c) "FTE" means full-time equated.

 

     (d) "HHS" means the United States department of health and

 

human services.

 

     (e) "IDG" means interdepartmental grant.

 

     (f) "OASI" means old age survivor's insurance.

 

     Sec. 204. The judicial branch shall not take disciplinary

 

action against an employee for communicating with a member of the

 

legislature or his or her staff.

 

     Sec. 208. The reporting requirements of this act shall be

 

completed with the approval of, and at the direction of, the

 

supreme court, except as otherwise provided in this act. The

 

judicial branch shall use the Internet to fulfill the reporting

 

requirements of this act. This may include transmission of reports

 

via electronic mail to the recipients identified for each reporting


 

requirement, or it may include placement of reports on an Internet

 

or Intranet site.

 

     Sec. 212. The judicial branch shall receive and retain copies

 

of all reports funded from appropriations in part 1. Federal and

 

state guidelines for short-term and long-term retention of records

 

shall be followed. The judicial branch may electronically retain

 

copies of reports unless otherwise required by federal and state

 

guidelines.

 

     Sec. 214. Funds appropriated in part 1 shall not be used for

 

the purchase of foreign goods or services, or both, if

 

competitively priced and of comparable quality American goods or

 

services, or both, are available. Preference shall be given to

 

goods or services, or both, manufactured or provided by Michigan

 

businesses, if they are competitively priced and of comparable

 

quality. In addition, preference shall be given to goods or

 

services, or both, that are manufactured or provided by Michigan

 

businesses owned and operated by veterans, if they are

 

competitively priced and of comparable quality.

 

     Sec. 215. Not later than January 1 of each year, the state

 

court administrative office shall prepare a travel report listing

 

all travel by judicial branch employees outside this state in the

 

immediately preceding fiscal year that was funded in whole or in

 

part with funds appropriated in the budget for the judicial branch.

 

The report shall be submitted to the senate and house of

 

representatives standing committees on appropriations, the senate

 

and house fiscal agencies, and the state budget director. The

 

report shall include the following information:


 

     (a) The dates of each travel occurrence.

 

     (b) The total transportation and related costs of each travel

 

occurrence, including the proportion funded with state general

 

fund/general purpose revenues, the proportion funded with state

 

restricted revenues, the proportion funded with federal revenues,

 

and the proportion funded with other revenues.

 

     Sec. 219. Not later than November 30, the state budget office

 

shall prepare and transmit a report that provides for estimates of

 

the total general fund/general purpose appropriation lapses at the

 

close of the prior fiscal year. This report shall summarize the

 

projected year-end general fund/general purpose appropriation

 

lapses by major program or program areas. The report shall be

 

transmitted to the chairpersons of the senate and house

 

appropriations committees and the senate and house fiscal agencies.

 

     Sec. 221. From the funds appropriated in part 1, the judicial

 

branch shall develop, post, and maintain, on a user-friendly and

 

publicly accessible Internet site, all expenditures made by the

 

judicial branch within a fiscal year. The posting shall include the

 

purpose for which each expenditure is made. The judicial branch

 

shall not provide financial information on its website under this

 

section if doing so would violate a federal or state law, rule,

 

regulation, or guideline that establishes privacy or security

 

standards applicable to that financial information.

 

     Sec. 222. Within 14 days after the release of the executive

 

budget recommendation, the judicial branch shall cooperate with the

 

state budget office to provide the senate and house appropriations

 

chairs, the senate and house appropriations subcommittee chairs,


 

and the senate and house fiscal agencies with an annual report on

 

estimated state restricted fund balances, state restricted fund

 

projected revenues, and state restricted fund expenditures for the

 

fiscal years ending September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2014.

 

     Sec. 223. The judiciary shall maintain, on a publicly

 

accessible website, a scorecard that identifies, tracks, and

 

regularly updates key metrics that are used to monitor and improve

 

the judiciary's performance.

 

 

 

JUDICIAL BRANCH

 

     Sec. 301. Pursuant to the appropriations in part 1, the direct

 

trial court automation support program of the state court

 

administrative office shall recover direct and overhead costs from

 

trial courts by charging for services rendered. The fee shall cover

 

the actual costs incurred to the direct trial court automation

 

support program in providing the service, including development of

 

future versions of case management systems.

 

     Sec. 302. Funds appropriated within the judicial branch shall

 

not be expended by any component within the judicial branch without

 

the approval of the supreme court.

 

     Sec. 303. Of the amount appropriated in part 1 for the

 

judicial branch, $325,000.00 is allocated for circuit court

 

reimbursement under section 3 of 1978 PA 16, MCL 800.453, and

 

$186,900.00 is allocated for court of claims reimbursement under

 

section 6413 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236,

 

MCL 600.6413.

 

     Sec. 306. The supreme court and the state court administrative


 

office shall continue to maintain, as a priority, the assisting of

 

local trial courts in improving the collection of judgments.

 

     Sec. 308. If sufficient funds are not available from the court

 

fee fund to pay judges' compensation, the difference between the

 

appropriated amount from that fund for judges' compensation and the

 

actual amount available after the amount appropriated for trial

 

court reimbursement is made shall be appropriated from the state

 

general fund for judges' compensation.

 

     Sec. 309. By April 1, the state court administrative office

 

shall provide an update on the status of the mental health courts

 

to the state budget director, the senate and house appropriations

 

subcommittees on the judiciary, and the senate and house fiscal

 

agencies.

 

     Sec. 310. From the funds appropriated in part 1 for drug

 

treatment court programs, with the approval of and at the

 

discretion of the supreme court, the state court administrative

 

office shall evaluate and collect data on the performance of drug

 

treatment court programs. The state court administrative office

 

shall provide an annual review of the performance of drug courts as

 

prescribed in section 1078(6) of the revised judicature act of

 

1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.1078. Both of the following apply to

 

that annual review:

 

     (a) It shall include measures of the impact of drug court

 

programs in changing offender criminal involvement (recidivism) and

 

substance abuse and in reducing prison admissions.

 

     (b) It shall be completed no later than April 1 of each year

 

and shall also be provided to the senate and house appropriations


 

subcommittees on the judiciary, the senate and house fiscal

 

agencies, and the state budget director.

 

     Sec. 311. (1) The funds appropriated in part 1 for drug

 

treatment courts shall be administered by the state court

 

administrative office to operate drug treatment court programs. A

 

drug treatment court shall be responsible for handling cases

 

involving substance abusing nonviolent offenders through

 

comprehensive supervision, testing, treatment services, and

 

immediate sanctions and incentives. A drug treatment court shall

 

use all available county and state personnel involved in the

 

disposition of cases including, but not limited to, parole and

 

probation agents, prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, and

 

community corrections providers. The funds may be used in

 

connection with other federal, state, and local funding sources.

 

     (2) From the funds appropriated in part 1, the chief justice

 

shall allocate sufficient funds for the judicial institute to

 

provide in-state training for those identified in subsection (1),

 

including training for new drug treatment court judges.

 

     (3) For drug treatment court grants, consideration for

 

priority may be given to those courts where higher instances of

 

substance abuse cases are filed.

 

     (4) The judiciary shall receive $1,500,000.00 in Byrne formula

 

grant funding as an interdepartmental grant from the department of

 

state police to be used for expansion of drug treatment courts, to

 

assist in avoiding prison bed space growth for nonviolent offenders

 

in collaboration with the department of corrections.

 

     Sec. 312. From the funds appropriated in part 1, the state


 

court administrator shall produce a statistical report regarding

 

the implementation of the parental rights restoration act, 1990 PA

 

211, MCL 722.901 to 722.908, as it pertains to minors seeking a

 

court-issued waiver of parental consent. The state court

 

administrative office shall report the total number of petitions

 

filed and the total number of petitions granted in accordance with

 

section 208.

 

     Sec. 317. Funds appropriated in part 1 shall not be used for

 

the permanent assignment of state-owned vehicles to justices or

 

judges or any other judicial branch employee. This section does not

 

preclude the use of state-owned motor pool vehicles for state

 

business in accordance with approved guidelines.

 

     Sec. 318. The funds appropriated in part 1 for the community

 

court pilot project shall be used for the purposes of administering

 

a pilot program of neighborhood-focused community courts. The state

 

court administrative office shall work collaboratively with the

 

designated courts when establishing the community courts.

 

     Sec. 320. (1) From the funds appropriated in part 1 for the

 

swift and sure sanctions program, the state court administrative

 

office shall administer a program to distribute grants to

 

qualifying courts in accordance with the objectives and

 

requirements of the probation swift and sure sanctions act. Of the

 

$6,000,000.00 designated for the program, not more than $100,000.00

 

shall be available to the state court administrative office to pay

 

for employee costs associated with the administration of the

 

program funds. Courts interested in participating in the swift-and-

 

sure sanctions program may apply to the state court administrative


 

office for a portion of the funds appropriated in part 1 under this

 

section.

 

     (2) By April 1, a court that receives funding under this

 

section shall provide a report on the program to the state budget

 

director, the senate and house appropriations subcommittees on the

 

judiciary, and the senate and house fiscal agencies. The report

 

shall include all of the following:

 

     (a) The number of offenders who participate in the program.

 

     (b) The criminal history of offenders who participate in the

 

program.

 

     (c) The recidivism rate of offenders who participate in the

 

program, including the rate of return to jail, prison, or both.

 

     (d) A detailed description of the establishment and parameters

 

of the program.

 

     (3) As used in this section, "program" means a swift-and-sure

 

sanctions program.

 

     Sec. 321. It is the intent of the legislature that the

 

judicial branch support a statewide legal self-help Internet

 

website and local nonprofit self-help centers that use the

 

statewide website to provide assistance to individuals representing

 

themselves in civil legal proceedings. The state court

 

administrative office shall evaluate the effectiveness of the

 

website, summarize the costs of maintaining the website, estimate

 

the savings the website generates for the state court system, and

 

report this information to the legislature.

 

     Sec. 322. If Byrne formula grant funding is awarded to the

 

state appellate defender, the state appellate defender office may


 

receive and expend Byrne formula grant funds in an amount not

 

exceeding $250,000.00 as an interdepartmental grant from the

 

department of state police. If the appellate defender appointed

 

under section 3 of the appellate defender act, 1978 PA 620, MCL

 

780.713, receives federal grant funding from the department of

 

justice in excess of the amount appropriated in part 1, the office

 

of appellate defender may receive and expend grant funds in an

 

amount not exceeding $300,000.00 as other federal grants.

 

     Sec. 323. The state court administrative office shall provide

 

courts with a quarterly listing of out-of-state placements of

 

juveniles by each court. The state court administrative office

 

shall also provide each judge who hears juvenile matters with the

 

annual listing of per diem costs of the public and private

 

residential care facilities located or doing business in this

 

state, and the recidivism data for each facility, if available, as

 

provided by the department of human services. The courts shall

 

acknowledge receipt of this information.

 

 

 

 

 

PART 2A

 

PROVISIONS CONCERNING ANTICIPATED APPROPRIATIONS

 

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014-2015

 

GENERAL SECTIONS

 

     Sec. 1201. It is the intent of the legislature to provide

 

appropriations for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2015 for

 

the line items listed in part 1. The fiscal year 2014-2015

 

appropriations are anticipated to be the same as those for fiscal


 

year 2013-2014, except that the line items will be adjusted for

 

changes in caseload and related costs, federal fund match rates,

 

economic factors, and available revenue. These adjustments will be

 

determined after the January 2014 consensus revenue estimating

 

conference.

 

     Sec. 1202. It is the intent of the legislature that the

 

judicial branch identify the amounts for normal retirement costs

 

and legacy retirement costs for the fiscal year ending on September

 

30, 2015 for the line items listed in part 1.