| 1 | 1 | | House Study Bill 340 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS BILL BY CHAIRPERSON MOHR) A BILL FOR An Act relating to and making appropriations to the judicial 1 branch, including juror compensation and judicial officer 2 salaries, and including effective date provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | H.F. _____ DIVISION I 1 FY 2025-2026 APPROPRIATIONS 2 Section 1. JUDICIAL BRANCH. 3 1. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state 4 to the judicial branch for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 5 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, the following amounts, or so 6 much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes 7 designated: 8 a. For salaries of supreme court justices, appellate court 9 judges, district court judges, district associate judges, 10 associate juvenile judges, associate probate judges, judicial 11 magistrates and staff, state court administrator, clerk of 12 the supreme court, district court administrators, clerks of 13 the district court, juvenile court officers, board of law 14 examiners, board of examiners of shorthand reporters, and 15 commission on judicial qualifications; receipt and disbursement 16 of child support payments; reimbursement of the auditor 17 of state for expenses incurred in completing audits of the 18 offices of the clerks of the district court during the fiscal 19 year beginning July 1, 2025; and maintenance, equipment, and 20 miscellaneous purposes: 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $203,899,106 22 b. For deposit in the revolving fund created pursuant to 23 section 602.1302, subsection 3, for jury and witness fees, 24 mileage, costs related to summoning jurors, costs and fees for 25 interpreters and translators, and reimbursement of attorney 26 fees paid by the state public defender: 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,408,425 28 c. For payment of expenses for court-ordered services 29 provided to juveniles who are under the supervision of juvenile 30 court services, which expenses are a charge upon the state 31 pursuant to section 232.141, subsection 4: 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 3,290,000 33 (1) Of the moneys appropriated in this lettered paragraph, 34 no more than $1,556,000 is allocated to provide school-based 35 -1- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 1/ 10 |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | H.F. _____ supervision of children under chapter 232, of which no more 1 than $25,000 may be used for purposes of training. 2 (2) Notwithstanding section 232.141 or any other provision 3 of law to the contrary, the moneys appropriated in this 4 lettered paragraph shall be distributed to the judicial 5 districts as determined by the state court administrator. The 6 state court administrator shall make the determination of the 7 distribution amounts within thirty days of the date on which 8 the annual census data is released. 9 (3) Notwithstanding chapter 232 or any other provision of 10 law to the contrary, a district or juvenile court shall not 11 order any service which is a charge upon the state pursuant 12 to section 232.141 if there are insufficient court-ordered 13 services moneys available in the district court distribution 14 amounts to pay for the service. The chief juvenile court 15 officer shall encourage use of the moneys appropriated in this 16 lettered paragraph such that there are sufficient moneys to pay 17 for all court-ordered services during the entire fiscal year. 18 The chief juvenile court officer shall attempt to anticipate 19 potential surpluses and shortfalls in the distribution amounts 20 and shall cooperatively request the state court administrator 21 to transfer moneys between the judicial districts distribution 22 amounts as prudent. 23 (4) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, 24 a district or juvenile court shall not order a county to pay 25 for any service provided to a juvenile pursuant to an order 26 entered under chapter 232 which is a charge upon the state 27 under section 232.141, subsection 4. 28 (5) Of the moneys appropriated in this lettered paragraph, 29 no more than $83,000 may be used by the judicial branch 30 for administration of the requirements under this lettered 31 paragraph. 32 (6) Of the moneys appropriated in this lettered paragraph, 33 an amount not to exceed the actual cost of the annual 34 membership fee is allocated to the judicial branch to support 35 -2- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 2/ 10 |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | H.F. _____ the interstate commission for juveniles in accordance with 1 the interstate compact for juveniles as provided in section 2 232.173. 3 (7) Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 4 this lettered paragraph that remain unencumbered or unobligated 5 at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall 6 remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated 7 until the close of the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2028. 8 d. For juvenile delinquent graduated sanctions services 9 pursuant to section 232.192: 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 12,253,000 11 (1) Any state moneys saved as a result of efforts by 12 juvenile court services to earn a federal fund match pursuant 13 to Tit. IV-E of the federal Family First Prevention Services 14 Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-123, for juvenile court services 15 administration is appropriated to the judicial branch for 16 purposes of this lettered paragraph. 17 (2) Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 18 this lettered paragraph that remain unencumbered or unobligated 19 at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall 20 remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated 21 until the close of the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2028. 22 2. The judicial branch, except for purposes of internal 23 processing, shall use the current state budget system, the 24 state payroll system, and the Iowa finance and accounting 25 system in administration of programs and payments for services, 26 and shall not duplicate the state payroll, accounting, and 27 budgeting systems. 28 3. The judicial branch shall submit monthly financial 29 statements to the legislative services agency and the 30 department of management containing all appropriated accounts 31 in the same manner as provided in the monthly financial status 32 reports and personal services usage reports of the department 33 of administrative services. The monthly financial statements 34 shall include a comparison of the dollars and percentage 35 -3- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 3/ 10 |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | H.F. _____ spent of budgeted versus actual revenues and expenditures on 1 a cumulative basis for full-time equivalent positions and 2 dollars. 3 4. The judicial branch shall focus efforts upon the 4 collection of delinquent fines, penalties, court costs, fees, 5 surcharges, or similar amounts. 6 5. It is the intent of the general assembly that the offices 7 of the clerks of the district court operate in all 99 counties 8 and be accessible to the public as much as is reasonably 9 possible in order to address the relative needs of the citizens 10 of each county. An office of the clerk of the district court 11 shall be open regular courthouse hours. 12 6. In addition to the requirements for transfers under 13 section 8.39, the judicial branch shall not change the 14 appropriations from the amounts appropriated to the judicial 15 branch in this Act, unless notice of the revisions is given to 16 the legislative services agency prior to the effective date. 17 The notice shall include information on the judicial branchs 18 rationale for making the changes and details concerning the 19 workload and performance measures upon which the changes are 20 based. 21 7. The judicial branch shall submit a semiannual update to 22 the legislative services agency and department of management 23 specifying the amounts of fines, surcharges, and court costs 24 collected using the Iowa court information system since the 25 last report. The judicial branch shall continue to facilitate 26 the sharing of vital sentencing and other information with 27 other state departments and governmental agencies involved in 28 the criminal justice system through the Iowa court information 29 system. 30 8. The judicial branch shall provide a report to the general 31 assembly and department of management by January 1, 2026, 32 concerning the amounts received and expended from the court 33 technology and modernization fund created in section 602.8108, 34 subsection 7, during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, 35 -4- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 4/ 10 |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | H.F. _____ and ending June 30, 2025, and the plans for expenditures from 1 the fund during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and 2 ending June 30, 2026. 3 Sec. 2. CIVIL TRIALS LOCATION. Notwithstanding any 4 provision to the contrary, for the fiscal year beginning July 5 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, if all parties in a case 6 agree, a civil trial including a jury trial may take place in a 7 county contiguous to the county with proper jurisdiction, even 8 if the contiguous county is located in an adjacent judicial 9 district or judicial election district. If the trial is moved 10 pursuant to this section, court personnel shall treat the case 11 as if a change of venue occurred. 12 Sec. 3. TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT. Notwithstanding section 13 602.1509, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and 14 ending June 30, 2026, a judicial officer may waive travel 15 reimbursement for any travel outside the judicial officers 16 county of residence to conduct official judicial business. 17 Sec. 4. JUDICIAL OFFICER UNPAID LEAVE. Notwithstanding 18 section 602.1501, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, 19 and ending June 30, 2026, the supreme court may by order 20 place all judicial officers on unpaid leave status on any day 21 employees of the judicial branch are placed on temporary layoff 22 status. The biweekly pay of the judicial officers shall be 23 reduced accordingly for the pay period in which the unpaid 24 leave date occurred in the same manner as for noncontract 25 employees of the judicial branch. Through the course of the 26 fiscal year, the judicial branch may use an amount equal to 27 the aggregate amount of salary reductions due to the judicial 28 officer unpaid leave days for any purpose other than for 29 judicial salaries. 30 Sec. 5. IOWA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. It is the intent 31 of the general assembly that the judicial branch utilize 32 the Iowa communications network or other secure electronic 33 communications in lieu of traveling for the fiscal year 34 beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026. 35 -5- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 5/ 10 |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | H.F. _____ DIVISION II 1 JUROR COMPENSATION 2 Sec. 6. Section 607A.8, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended 3 to read as follows: 4 1. A grand juror and a petit juror in all courts shall 5 receive thirty forty-five dollars as compensation for each 6 days service or attendance, including attendance required 7 for the purpose of being considered for service. The supreme 8 court may shall adopt rules that allow additional compensation 9 for jurors whose attendance and service exceeds exceed seven 10 days to receive sixty-five dollars as compensation for each 11 days service or attendance after the seventh day of service or 12 attendance, including attendance required for the purpose of 13 being considered for service . 14 DIVISION III 15 JUDICIAL OFFICER SALARIES 16 Sec. 7. Section 602.1501, Code 2025, is amended by striking 17 the section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 18 602.1501 Judicial officer salaries. 19 1. A salary rate specified in subsection 2 takes effect at 20 the start of the pay period in which the applicable fiscal year 21 begins. The salaries provided for in this section shall be 22 paid from moneys appropriated to the judicial branch. 23 2. a. (1) Each district judge except the chief judge of 24 a judicial district shall receive an annual salary equal to a 25 specified percentage of the annual rate of compensation for a 26 district judge of the United States in effect at the beginning 27 of the applicable state fiscal year, as follows: 28 (a) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, sixty-eight 29 percent. 30 (b) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, sixty-nine 31 percent. 32 (c) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027, seventy 33 percent. 34 (d) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2028, seventy-one 35 -6- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 6/ 10 |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | H.F. _____ percent. 1 (e) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2029, seventy-two 2 percent. 3 (f) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2030, 4 seventy-three percent. 5 (g) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2031, seventy-four 6 percent. 7 (2) This paragraph is repealed July 1, 2032. 8 b. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2032, and adjusted 9 for each fiscal year thereafter, each district judge except 10 the chief judge of a judicial district shall receive an annual 11 salary equal to seventy-five percent of the annual rate of 12 compensation for a district judge of the United States in 13 effect at the beginning of the applicable state fiscal year. 14 c. The following judicial officer salaries shall be 15 calculated as a percentage of the state district judge salary 16 for a given fiscal year as specified in this subsection, as 17 follows: 18 (1) For the chief justice of the supreme court, one hundred 19 twenty-four percent. 20 (2) For each justice of the supreme court except the chief 21 justice, one hundred nineteen percent. 22 (3) For the chief judge of the court of appeals, one hundred 23 eleven percent. 24 (4) For each judge of the court of appeals except the chief 25 judge of the court of appeals, one hundred seven percent. 26 (5) For each chief judge of a judicial district, one hundred 27 four percent. 28 (6) For each district associate judge, associate juvenile 29 judge, and associate probate judge, eighty-nine percent. 30 (7) For each magistrate, twenty-seven percent, subject to 31 section 602.6402. 32 (8) For each senior judge, six percent. 33 3. Notwithstanding subsection 2, if the supreme court 34 determines that appropriations to the judicial branch for 35 -7- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 7/ 10 |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | H.F. _____ a given fiscal year are insufficient to provide the full 1 allowable judicial officer salaries set forth in subsection 2 2 or other good cause exists, the supreme court may provide 3 judicial officers a lower annual salary. 4 Sec. 8. Section 602.9104, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 5 2025, is amended to read as follows: 6 a. A judge to whom this article applies shall be paid 7 an amount equal to the basic salary of the judge as set by 8 the general assembly section 602.1501, reduced by an amount 9 designated as the judges required contribution to the judicial 10 retirement fund. The amount designated as the judges required 11 contribution shall be paid by the state in the manner provided 12 in subsection 2 . 13 Sec. 9. Section 602.9204, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 14 2025, is amended to read as follows: 15 a. A judge who retires on or after July 1, 1994, and who is 16 appointed a senior judge under section 602.9203 shall be paid a 17 salary as determined by the general assembly section 602.1501 . 18 Sec. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE. This division of this Act takes 19 effect June 20, 2025. 20 EXPLANATION 21 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 22 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 23 This bill relates to and makes appropriations to the 24 judicial branch. 25 FY 2025-2026 APPROPRIATIONS. The bill appropriates moneys 26 from the general fund of the state for FY 2025-2026 to the 27 judicial branch for salaries, receipt and disbursement of 28 child support payments, reimbursement of the auditor of state, 29 maintenance, equipment, miscellaneous purposes, deposit in the 30 revolving fund created pursuant to Code section 602.1302(3) for 31 certain purposes, payment of court-ordered juvenile services, 32 and juvenile delinquent graduated sanctions services. 33 The bill provides that a civil trial including a jury trial 34 may take place in a county contiguous to the county with proper 35 -8- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 8/ 10 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | H.F. _____ jurisdiction, even if the contiguous county is located in an 1 adjacent judicial district or judicial election district, if 2 all the parties in a case agree. If a trial is moved to another 3 county that is located in another judicial district or judicial 4 election district, the judicial officers serving the judicial 5 district or judicial election district receiving the case shall 6 preside over the case. 7 The bill permits a judicial officer to waive travel 8 reimbursement for any travel outside the judicial officers 9 county of residence to conduct official business. 10 The bill allows a judicial officer to be placed on unpaid 11 leave on any day a court employee is required to furlough. 12 The bill provides that if a judicial officer is placed on 13 unpaid leave, the salary of the judicial officer shall be 14 reduced accordingly for the pay period in which the unpaid 15 leave occurred. The bill provides that the judicial branch 16 may use an amount equal to the aggregate amount of the salary 17 reductions due to judicial officer unpaid leave for any purpose 18 other than judicial salaries. 19 The bill states legislative intent that the judicial 20 branch utilize the Iowa communications network or other secure 21 electronic communications in lieu of traveling. 22 JUROR COMPENSATION. The bill provides that a grand juror and 23 a petit juror in all courts shall receive $45 as compensation 24 for each days service or attendance. Under current law, a 25 juror is entitled to $30 for each days service or attendance. 26 The bill also requires the supreme court to adopt rules that 27 allow juror compensation for service or attendance over seven 28 days to be increased to $65 per day after the seventh day of 29 service or attendance. 30 JUDICIAL OFFICER SALARIES. Under current law, the general 31 assembly determines the salaries of judicial officers by 32 enacting the salaries in annual appropriations bills. 33 The bill instead creates a formula to calculate judicial 34 officer salaries. The bill requires the judicial officer 35 -9- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 9/ 10 |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | H.F. _____ salaries to be paid from the moneys appropriated to the 1 judicial branch in a given fiscal year. The bill provides 2 various amounts over eight fiscal years for a state district 3 judges salary based on certain percentages of the salary of a 4 federal district judge, and sets the salary of other judicial 5 officers based on a percentage of the salary of a state 6 district judge as follows: the chief justice of the supreme 7 court, 124 percent; other justices of the supreme court, 119 8 percent; the chief judge of the court of appeals, 111 percent; 9 a judge of the court of appeals except the chief judge, 107 10 percent; a chief judge of a judicial district, 104 percent; 11 a district associate judge, associate juvenile judge, or 12 associate probate judge, 89 percent; a magistrate, 27 percent, 13 subject to Code section 602.6402 (additional magistrate 14 allowed); and a senior judge, 6 percent. 15 The bill allows the supreme court to provide lower salaries 16 for judicial officers if the supreme court decides that the 17 moneys appropriated in a given fiscal year are not sufficient 18 to provide the full allowable salaries for judicial officers, 19 or if other good cause exists. 20 The bill makes conforming changes to Code sections 602.9104 21 and 602.9204. By operation of law, these provisions affect the 22 salaries of county attorneys of counties with a population of 23 200,000 or less (Code section 331.752(5)). 24 These provisions take effect June 20, 2025. 25 -10- LSB 1006YC (7) 91 cm/ns 10/ 10 |
|---|