HLS 17RS-651 REENGROSSED
2017 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 620
BY REPRESENTATIVES HENRY, BARRAS, BROADWATER, FOIL, JACKSON,
JOHNSON, LEGER, AND MAGEE AND SENATORS ALARIO AND LAFLEUR
APPROPRIATIONS: Appropriates funds for the expenses of the judiciary for Fiscal Year
2017-2018
1 AN ACT
2To appropriate funds to defray the expenses of the Louisiana Judiciary, including the
3 Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, District Courts, Criminal District Court of Orleans
4 Parish, and other courts; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1.A. The sum of One Hundred Eighty-Seven Million Three Hundred Ninety-
7Four Thousand Three Hundred Sixty-Nine No/100 ($187,394,369.00) Dollars, or so much
8thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to defray the expenses of the judiciary,
9including the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, the District Courts, the Criminal District
10Court of Orleans Parish, and of the other courts.
11 B. The total amount herein appropriated is hereby allocated to provide as follows:
1203-8170 SUPREME COURT
13 Program Description: The Supreme Court has general supervisory jurisdiction over
14 all lower courts. It may establish procedural and administrative rules not in conflict
15 with law and may assign a sitting or retired judge to any court. The Supreme Court has
16 sole authority to provide by rule for appointments of attorneys as temporary or ad hoc
17 judges. It considers applications for writs to review individual cases, and has criminal
18 and other appellate jurisdiction. The Supreme Court has exclusive original jurisdiction
19 of disciplinary proceedings against lawyers, recommendations of the Judiciary
20 Commission of Louisiana for the discipline of judges, and fact questions affecting its
21 appellate jurisdiction. It has inherent authority to regulate the legal profession and to
22 promulgate and update the Code of Judicial Conduct. The court also provides judicial
23 training through the Judicial College and works to improve the administration of
24 justice.
25 Mission Statement: The mission of the Supreme Court of Louisiana is to protect and
26 promote the rule of law, to ensure public trust, to use public resources efficiently, to
27 ensure the highest professional conduct, integrity, and competence of both the bench
28 and the bar, and to ensure the proper administration and performance of all courts
29 under its authority.
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HB NO. 620
1 Goal: To protect the rule of law.
2 Objective: To provide a reasonable opportunity for litigants to seek review in the
3 Supreme Court of decisions made by lower tribunals.
4 General Performance Information:
5 2014 2015 2016
6 Total Filings 2,716 2,365 2,283
7 Total Appeals Filed 12 6 9
8 Total Writs Filed 2,496 2,172 2,092
9 Total Dispositions Rendered 2,592 2,486 2,142
10 Goal: To promote the rule of law.
11 Objective: To resolve cases in a timely manner.
12 General Performance Information:
13 2014 2015 2016
14 Percentage of noncriminal case
15 applications acted on within Supreme
16 Court standard of 120 days of filing 91.8% 97.1% 94.1%
17 Percentage of criminal case applications
18 acted on within Supreme Court
19 standard of 120 days of filing 30.7% 36.1% 48.7%
20 Percentage of pro se post conviction
21 applications acted on within Supreme
22 Court standard of 120 days of filing 2.1% 3% 26%
23 Percentage of bar disciplinary filings
24 acted upon within Supreme Court
25 standard of 120 days of filing 95.2% 97% 93.6%
26 Percentage of opinions rendered within
27 Supreme Court standard of 84 days
28 from argument 81.5% 75.8% 66.7%
29 Goal: To ensure the public trust.
30 Objective: To facilitate public access to Supreme Court decisions.
31 General Performance Information:
32 2014 2015 2016
33 Percentage of written opinions available
34 to the public within 5 days of decision 100% 100% 100%
35 Objective: To inform the public of operations and activities.
36 General Performance Information:
37 2014 2015 2016
38 Number of outreach programs 58 100 60
39 Number of media releases on court decisions 64 66 78
40 Number of media releases on other matters 25 17 24
41 Number of recipients of releases on
42 court decisions 1,485 1,632 1,775
43 Number of recipients of releases on other
44 matters 3,633 4,700 6,010
45 Objective: To ensure the highest professional conduct, integrity, and competence of the
46 bench.
47 General Performance Information:
48 2014 2015 2016
49 Average number of hours acquired
50 through continuing legal education
51 per judge 33.59 34.25 30.08
52 Number of complaints filed against
53 judges and justices of the peace 495 529 545
54 Number of complaints against judges
55 and justices of the peace resolved or
56 disposed of in the calendar year 477 601 582
57 Objective: To ensure the highest professional conduct, integrity, and competence of the
58 bar.
59 General Performance Information:
60 2014 2015 2016
61 Average number of hours acquired through
62 continuing legal education per lawyer 14.92 15.12 15.08
63 Number of complaints filed against lawyers 3,040 2,950 2,922
64 Number of complaints filed against lawyers
65 resolved or disposed of in calendar year3,140 3,046 2,673
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HB NO. 620
1Payable out of the State General Fund (Direct):
2 01 Salaries of one (1) Chief Justice and six (6)
3 Associate Justices of the Supreme Court,
4 as provided by R.S. 13:102 $1,125,128
5 02 Salaries and other expenses of the
6 Supreme Court Proper and salary of
7 the Crier of the Supreme Court $10,654,654
8 03 Expenses of Judicial Administrator's
9 Office and of the Judiciary Commission
10 provided for in Article V, Section
11 25 of the Constitution of Louisiana and
12 under the provisions of R.S. 13:32 et seq.
13 A. Expenses of Judicial Administrator's Office $5,278,486
14 Program Description: The Judicial Administrator's Office assists the Supreme Court in the
15 administration of the state court system. It staffs the Judicial Council and the Judiciary Commission of
16 Louisiana. Through the Judicial Council, it performs studies and makes recommendations for the creation
17 of new judgeships and for improving the administration of justice. The Judicial Administrator's Office
18 provides payroll and other fiscal services to the Judiciary, including the administration of a judicial
19 retirement system; support for the Supreme Court and Appellate Court human resource system;
20 technological services to courts; and, manages the Trial Court Case Management Information System.
21 The Judicial Administrator's Office also manages the ad hoc judgeship system, monitors cases under
22 advisement, provides outreach services to state and local courts, staffs the Committee on Judicial Ethics,
23 and performs numerous legal services for the Supreme Court and the Judiciary.
24 B. Expenses of Judiciary Commission $2,068,854
25 Program Description: The Judiciary Commission of Louisiana is a constitutional body established under
26 Article V, Section 25 of the Constitution of 1974 to accept, screen, investigate, and prosecute complaints
27 of judicial misconduct. As part of its authority, it may recommend to the Supreme Court the censure,
28 suspension, removal from office, or involuntary retirement of any judge for ethical misconduct.
29 C. Court Reporters; Statistical Reporting Systems $ 420,020
30 D. Dues to National Center for State Courts $ 158,650
31 04 Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board,
32 as per Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XIX $ 3,000
33 05 Compensation and expenses of retired
34 judges assigned under Article V,
35 Section 5(A) of the Constitution of
36 Louisiana, be it more or less estimated at $1,416,000
37 06 Law Library of Louisiana for salaries,
38 services, supplies, maintenance, repairs,
39 and equipment $2,060,337
40 Program Description: The Law Library of Louisiana serves the legal information needs of the state
41 judiciary, and is open to members of the bar and public.
42 07 Salaries and expenses of transferred
43 judges assigned under Article V,
44 Section 5(A) of the Constitution,
45 be it more or less estimated as $ 146,663
46 08 Retirement pay for services rendered by
47 justices and judges of all courts, as
48 provided by R.S. 11:1358 and
49 R.S. 13:103 $1,365,669
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HB NO. 620
1 09 Pensions for widows of justices and
2 judges of all courts, as provided by
3 R.S. 11:1371 and R.S. 11:1381, be it
4 more or less estimated at $1,469,984
5 10 Judicial College $ 303,725
6 Program Description: The Judicial College was established by order of the Supreme Court in 1976 to
7 provide continuing legal education to Louisiana judges.
8 11 State contribution to judicial
9 retirement provided for in Article V,
10 Section 23 of the Constitution and
11 R.S. 11:551 et seq., be it more or
12 less estimated at $19,013,380
13 12 Civil commitment matters as
14 required by R.S. 28:54 $ 204,000
15 13 Paul M. Hebert Law Center for the expenses
16 of storage of appellate court records $ 60,000
17 14 Funding for statewide operations of the
18 Louisiana Protective Order Registry
19 (R.S. 46:2136.2) under the Case
20 Management Information System $1,368,548
21 15 Information Technology $1,104,532
22 16 Payable out of the State General Fund for the
23 expenses associated with the operation of the
24 Families in Need of Services Program (FINS) $2,354,780
25 Program Description: The mission of the FINS Assistance Program is to assist local FINS processes by
26 developing and implementing a needs-based allocation formula; developing, implementing, and mandating
27 the use of a uniform data system for tracking, managing, and reporting FINS informal cases; developing
28 and mandating the use of programmatic standards; developing, implementing, and reporting performance
29 indicators and measures; requiring and monitoring periodic fiscal reports and financial accountability;
30 and, generally supervising and assisting local FINS processes in other ways.
31 17 Drug court maintenance and enhancement $11,745,514
32 Program Description: Drug treatment courts, authorized in 1997 by R.S. 13:5301 through R.S. 13:5304,
33 provided integrated substance abuse treatment, sanctions, and incentives with case processing to place
34 low-level, nonviolent drug-involved defendants in community-based, judicially supervised rehabilitation
35 programs. Clients are regularly tested and monitored for compliance with educational, employment, and
36 treatment requirements set by the court.
37 18 Court Appointed Special Advocates $2,965,884
38 Program Description: The purpose of the CASA Assistance Program is to promote timely placement of
39 children in need of care in permanent, safe and stable homes, in accordance with the provisions of
40 Children's Code articles 424-426. Services are provided through local CASA programs which recruit,
41 screen, train and supervise community advocates. Upon appointment by the trial judge, qualified
42 advocates serve children by providing independent factual information to the judge, advocating for the best
43 interest of the children, monitoring cases to which they have been assigned, and advising and assisting the
44 judge in the determination of the best interest of the children involved.
45TOTAL - GENERAL FUND $65,287,808
46 19 Payable out of the State General Fund
47 from Statutory Dedications, Judges'
48 Supplemental Compensation Fund,
49 R. S. 13:10.3, be it more or less
50 estimated at $6,223,724
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HB NO. 620
1 Program Description: The Judges' Supplemental Compensation Fund was established by the Legislature
2 in 1985 to fund salary supplements and salary-related expenses to judges and commissioners. The funding
3 source is a non-refundable filing fee assessed on civil filings as provided in R.S. 13:10.3.
4 20 Payable out of the State General Fund
5 from Statutory Dedications, Trial Court
6 Case Management Information Fund, for
7 the Case Management Information System,
8 Article 887 (F) of the Code of Criminal
9 Procedure, be it more or less estimated at $4,017,201
10 Program Description: The Case Management Information System (CMIS) was created by the Supreme
11 Court in 1993 to provide a statewide information system for tracking and managing criminal, civil,
12 juvenile, traffic, and appellate cases as well as protective orders. Data is received from courts statewide,
13 transferred to the CMIS repository, and made available to courts and executive branch agencies.
14 Additional information will also be available from the Department of Public Safety & Corrections. CMIS
15 is funded from a court cost assessed on all criminal and traffic convictions as provided under
16 C.Cr.P.887(F).
17TOTAL - STATE GENERAL FUND
18 BY STATUTORY DEDICATIONS $10,240,925
19 21Drug court maintenance and enhancement, payable
20 out of the State General Fund through Interagency
21 Transfers from the Department of Children and
22 Family Services $5,400,000
23 22 Court Appointed Special Advocates, payable out of
24 the State General Fund through Interagency Transfers
25 from the Department of Children and Family
26 Services $ 3,992,850
27TOTAL - STATE GENERAL FUND
28 THROUGH INTERAGENCY TRANSF ERS $9,392,850
29TOTAL SUPREME COURT $84,921,583
3003-8171 COURTS OF APPEAL
31 Program Description: The five courts of appeal, domiciled in Baton Rouge,
32 Shreveport, Lake Charles, New Orleans, and Gretna, have supervisory jurisdiction over
33 all cases arising within their respective circuits, subject to the general supervisory
34 jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Each court of appeal also has appellate jurisdiction
35 over all civil matters, all matters appealed from family and juvenile courts, and all
36 criminal cases triable by a jury which arise within its circuit, except for those cases
37 appealable directly to the Supreme Court or to the district courts.
38 Mission Statement: The mission of the appellate courts of Louisiana is to provide
39 meaningful access to all who seek review under the Courts' appellate and supervisory
40 jurisdiction granted by the Louisiana Constitution while protecting and promoting the
41 rule of law, preserving the public trust, and using public resources efficiently.
42 Goal: To protect the rule of law.
43 Objective: To provide a reasonable opportunity for multi-judge review of decisions
44 made by lower tribunals.
45 General Performance Information:
46 2014 2015 2016
47 Total appeals filed 2,050 2,053 1,783
48 Total writs filed 4,325 4,048 3,670
49 Total dispositions rendered 5,741 5,019 4,761
50 Goal: To promote the rule of law.
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HB NO. 620
1 Objective: To resolve cases expeditiously.
2 General Performance Information:
3 2014 2015 2016
4 Average number of days from lodging of the
5 appeal to argument:
6 Time Standard = no more than 175 days.
7 Criminal cases 151 143 162
8 Civil Cases 149 147 155
9 Median number of days for all cases 149 146 158
10 Average number of days from argument to
11 rendering of the opinion:
12 Time Standard = no more than 70 days.
13 Criminal cases 38 43 43
14 Civil cases 44 43 42
15 Median number of days for all cases 43 43 43
16 Goal: To preserve public trust.
17 Objective: To facilitate public access to the decisions of the courts of appeal.
18 General Performance Information:
19 2014 2015 2016
20 Percentage of written opinions available
21 to the public within 5 days of decision 100% 100% 100%
22Payable out of the State General Fund:
23 01 Salaries of five (5) Chief Judges
24 and forty-eight (48) Judges of
25 the Courts of Appeal, R.S. 13:311 $7,912,546
26 02 Salaries and expenses of operation and
27 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
28 First Circuit $10,469,867
29 03 Salaries and expenses of operation and
30 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
31 Second Circuit $5,868,157
32 04 Salaries and expenses of operation and
33 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
34 Third Circuit $8,930,244
35 05 Salaries and expenses of operation and
36 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
37 Fourth Circuit $8,347,759
38 06 Salaries and expenses of operation and
39 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
40 Fifth Circuit $6,022,679
41TOTAL COURTS OF APPEAL $47,551,252
4203-8172DISTRICT COURTS
43 Program Description: There are forty-one district courts in Louisiana that have
44 general jurisdiction over all matters within their territorial limits, except in those
45 judicial districts (the 1st, the 19th, and the 24th Judicial Districts) where family and
46 juvenile courts have exclusive jurisdiction over certain types of cases and except in
47 Orleans Parish where there are separate courts exercising civil, criminal, and juvenile
48 jurisdictions, respectively. In certain cases, the forty-one general jurisdiction courts
49 have concurrent jurisdiction with justices of the peace and parish courts. The district
50 courts generally have appellate jurisdiction of criminal cases tried by city, parish,
51 municipal, traffic, and mayors' courts, except in certain cases. The district courts also
52 have appellate jurisdiction over justices of the peace in parishes where no parish courts
53 exist. The Civil District Court of Orleans Parish has jurisdiction of all civil cases in
54 that parish. The Criminal District Court of Orleans Parish has jurisdiction over all
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HB NO. 620
1 criminal cases in the parish. It also has general supervisory jurisdiction over the
2 municipal and traffic courts in Orleans Parish. The Family Court of East Baton Rouge
3 Parish has exclusive jurisdiction of many domestic cases in the parish. The four
4 juvenile courts located in Caddo, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, and Orleans parishes
5 have exclusive jurisdiction of juvenile cases in their respective parishes.
6 Mission Statement: The mission of the trial courts of Louisiana is to provide access
7 to justice, to meet all responsibilities in a timely and expeditious manner, to provide
8 equality, fairness, and integrity in their proceedings, to maintain judicial independence
9 and accountability, and to reach a fair and just result by adherence to the procedural
10 and substantive law, thereby instilling trust and confidence in the public.
11 Goal: To establish a more open and accessible system of justice.
12 Objective: To encourage responsible parties to make court facilities safe, accessible,
13 and convenient.
14 General Performance Information:
15 2014 2015 2016
16 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
17 judges indicating actions taken in
18 FY 2015-2016 to improve compliance
19 with the Americans with Disabilities Act
20 (ADA) 97.9% 93.8% 81.3%
21 Objective: To encourage all responsible public bodies and public officers to make the
22 costs of access to the trial court's proceedings and records - whether measured in terms
23 of money, time, or the procedures that must be followed - reasonable, fair, and
24 affordable.
25 General Performance Information:
26 2014 2015 2016
27 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
28 judges indicating actions taken in
29 FY 2015-2016 to assist self-represented
30 litigants 97.9% 97.9% 85.4%
31 Goal: To meet all responsibilities to everyone affected by the court and its activities in
32 a timely and expeditious manner.
33 Objective: To encourage timely case management and processing.
34 General Performance Information:
35 2014 2015 2016
36 Number of parishes reporting criminal
37 disposition data to CMIS 64 64 64
38 Percentage of parishes reporting criminal
39 disposition data to CMIS 100% 100% 100%
40 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
41 judges indicating that their courts had
42 taken steps within FY 2015-2016 to
43 reduce delays and improve the timeliness
44 of case processing 91.7% 97.9% 87.5%
45 Objective: To enhance jury service.
46 General Performance Information:
47 2014 2015 2016
48 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
49 judges indicating that their court had
50 taken steps within FY 2015-2016 to make
51 jury service more convenient or effective 93% 100% 90.7%
52 Goal: To provide due process and equal protection of the law to all who have business
53 before the court; and to demonstrate integrity in all procedures and decisions.
54 Objective: To recognize new conditions or emerging events and to adjust court
55 operations as necessary.
56 General Performance Information:
57 2014 2015 2016
58 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
59 judges indicating actions taken in
60 FY 2015-2016 to improve employee
61 training and development 95.8% 87.5% 85.4%
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HB NO. 620
1 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
2 judges indicating actions taken in
3 FY 2015-2016 to install or implement
4 technologies 95.8% 100% 91.7%
5 Goal: To maintain judicial independence, while observing the principle of comity in
6 its governmental relations and accountability to the public.
7 Objective: To inform the community of the court's structure and function.
8 General Performance Information:
9 2014 2015 2016
10 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
11 judges indicating that their courts regularly
12 provided public education and public
13 outreach services in FY 2015-2016 89.6% 97.9% 87.5%
14Payable out of the State General Fund:
15 01 Salaries of one hundred ninety-one
16 (191) District Judges as provided
17 by R.S. 13:691 $27,187,586
18 02 Office and travel expenses of District
19 Judges as provided by R.S. 13:698 and
20 R.S. 13:694, respectively $1,285,250
21 03 Salaries of fourteen (14) Judges of
22 Civil District Court, Orleans Parish,
23 as provided by R.S. 13:691 $1,992,807
24 04 Expenses of Judges of Civil District
25 Court, Parish of Orleans, for salaries
26 of stenographers, clerks, law books,
27 stationery, telephone, and like expenses
28 as provided by R.S. 13:698 $ 80,500
29 05 Salaries of two (2) Court Reporters
30 of the Twentieth Judicial District Court,
31 including retirement contributions, as
32 provided by R.S. 13:966.1 $ 117,697
33 06 Clerk of Civil District Court, Orleans
34 Parish, as provided by R.S. 13:1212(A) $ 10,000
35 07 State share of Group, Workers'
36 Compensation, General Liability,
37 and Property Insurance Premiums
38 as provided by R.S.42:851 $7,471,735
39 08 Salaries of two (2) commissioners of
40 the Nineteenth Judicial District and
41 one (1) commissioner of the Fifteenth
42 Judicial District as provided by
43 R.S. 13:712 and R.S. 13:715,
44 respectively $ 569,959
45 09 Office expenses for the Judicial
46 Expense Fund of the Nineteenth Judicial
47 District Court as provided by
48 R.S. 13:711-713 $ 470,893
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HB NO. 620
1 10 Office expenses for the Judicial
2 Expense Fund of the Fifteenth
3 Judicial District Court as provided
4 by R.S. 13:714-716 $ 304,827
5 11 Law Clerk, Twentieth Judicial District
6 Court as provided by Act 747 of 1977 $ 51,118
7 12 For the expenses of the Judicial Expense
8 Fund, Tenth Judicial District Court as
9 provided by Act 57 of 2006 $ 35,000
10 SUBTOTAL $39,577,372
11 13 Criminal Court - Parish of Orleans
12 Program Description: The Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans has exclusive jurisdiction
13 of the trial and punishment of all crimes, misdemeanors, and offenses committed within the parish of
14 Orleans, if the jurisdiction is not vested by law in some other court. The court, through its magistrate and
15 with assistance from its commissioners, has the power of committing magistrates in all felony charges and
16 the power to hold preliminary examinations, with authority to bail or discharge, or to hold for trial, in all
17 cases before the court. The court has appellate jurisdiction of all cases tried before the Municipal Court
18 of New Orleans and the Traffic Court of New Orleans and has general supervisory jurisdiction over these
19 courts.
20 A. Salaries of thirteen (13) District Judges of
21 Criminal Court, Orleans Parish as provided
22 by R.S. 13:691 $1,850,464
23 B. Office expenses of Judges of Criminal Court,
24 Orleans Parish as provided by R.S. 13:698 $ 74,750
25 C. State's share of group insurance for the personnel
26 of Criminal Court as provided by R.S. 42:851 $ 736,127
27 D. Salaries of thirteen (13) minute clerks as provided
28 by R.S. 13:1373.1 $ 288,063
29 E. Salaries of twenty-six (26) court reporters as
30 provided by R.S. 13:1373.1 $ 454,091
31 F. Salaries of four (4) commissioners of Criminal
32 Court, Orleans Parish, including related benefits
33 as provided by R.S. 13:1347 $ 503,908
34 G. Office and travel expenses of commissioners as
35 provided by R.S. 13:1347 $ 10,600
36 H. Salaries of four (4) minute clerks, one for each
37 commissioner as provided by R.S. 13:1347 $ 75,371
38 I. Salaries of four (4) court reporters, one for each
39 commissioner as provided by R.S. 13:1347 $ 57,311
40 J. Salaries of Judicial Administrator, and assistants,
41 including related benefits $1,007,453
42 K. Salaries of thirteen (13) law clerks $ 733,824
43 L. Salaries of four (4) secretaries $ 212,661
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1 M. Sanity Commissions $ 200,000
2 N. Board of Jury Commissioners $ 434,248
3 SUBTOTAL $6,638,871
4 14 Juvenile and Family Court Judges
5 A. Salaries of fourteen (14) Juvenile Court
6 Judges as provided by R.S. 13:691 $1,992,807
7 B. Salaries of four (4) Family Court Judges
8 as provided by R.S. 13:691 $ 569,374
9 C. Office and travel expenses of Juvenile and Family
10 Court Judges as provided by R.S. 13:698
11 and R.S. 13:694, respectively $ 103,500
12 SUBTOTAL $2,665,681
13TOTAL DISTRICT COURTS $48,881,924
1403-8173 OTHER COURTS - SALARIES AND OFFICE EXPENSES AS REQUIRED
15 BY STATUTE
16 Program Description: The category includes forty-seven city courts, one municipal
17 court (New Orleans), one traffic court (New Orleans), and one parish court (Ascension
18 Parish).
19 Mission Statement: The mission of the city and parish courts of Louisiana is to provide
20 access to justice, to meet all responsibilities in a timely and expeditious manner, to
21 provide equality, fairness and integrity in their proceedings, to maintain judicial
22 independence and accountability, and to reach a fair and just result by adherence to the
23 procedural and substantive law, thereby instilling trust and confidence in the public.
24 Goal: To establish a more open and accessible system of justice.
25 Objective: To encourage all responsible public bodies and public officers to make the
26 costs of access to the court's proceedings and records - whether measured in terms of
27 money, time, or the procedures that must be followed - reasonable, fair, and affordable.
28 General Performance Information:
29 2014 2015 2016
30 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
31 judges indicating actions taken in
32 FY 2015-2016 to assist pro se litigants 100% 96.2% 96.2%
33 Goal: To meet all responsibilities to everyone affected by the court and its activities in
34 a timely and expeditious manner.
35 Objective: To encourage timely case management and processing.
36 General Performance Information:
37 2014 2015 2016
38 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
39 judges indicating that their courts had
40 taken steps within FY 2015-2016 to reduce
41 delays and improve the timeliness of case
42 processing 84.6% 88.5% 92.3%
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HB NO. 620
1 Goal: To maintain judicial independence, while observing the principle of comity in
2 its governmental relations and accountability to the public.
3 Objective: To inform the community of the court's structure and function.
4 General Performance Information:
5 2014 2015 2016
6 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
7 judges indicating that their courts
8 regularly provided public education and
9 public outreach services in FY 2015-
10 2016 92.3% 92.3% 88.5%
11 Objective: To recognize new conditions or emerging events and to adjust court
12 operations as necessary.
13 General Performance Information:
14 2014 2015 2016
15 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
16 judges indicating actions taken in
17 FY 2015-2016 to improve employee
18 training and development 94.2% 98.1% 96.2%
19 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
20 judges indicating actions taken in
21 FY 2015-2016 to install or implement
22 technologies 92.3% 96.2% 90.4%
23Payable out of the State General Fund:
24 01 Salaries of sixty (60) City Court
25 Judges as provided by R.S. 13:1875 $2,757,560
26 02 Salaries of four (4) Municipal, four (4)
27 Traffic and one (1) Parish Court
28 Judges as provided by R.S. 13:2492,
29 13:2501.1, and 13:2563.5, respectively $ 444,777
30TOTAL OTHER COURTS REQUIRED BY STATUTE $3,202,337
3103-8174OTHER COURTS - SALARIES AND OFFICE EXPENSES NOT
32 REQUIRED BY STATUTE
33Payable out of the State General Fund:
34 01 Orleans Parish Juvenile Protective
35 Care Monitoring Program $ 614,938
36 Program Description: The program tracks and maintains child abuse and neglect cases in the Orleans
37 Parish Juvenile Court. It also provides assistance in support of the Families in Need of Services Program.
38 02 Orleans Parish Juvenile Court Reporters $ 88,244
39 03 For the expenses of the Judges'
40 Assistance Program $ 63,238
41 Program Description: The Judges' Assistance Program provides counseling and other assistance to
42 judges with substance abuse problems.
43TOTAL OTHER COURTS NOT REQUIRED BY STATUTE $ 766,420
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103-8175NON-JUDICIAL STATE EXP ENSES
2Payable out of the State General Fund:
3 01 Legal representation of children in child protection cases$2,070,853
4 Program Description: As recommended by the Task Force on Legal representation
5 in Child Protection Cases and at the request of the Division of Administration, in
6 order to advance the administration of justice, the Supreme Court administers
7 funding to provide qualified legal representation for children in child protection
8 cases as required to fulfill the state’s statutory responsibility.
9TOTAL NON-JUDICIAL STATE EXPENSES $2,070,853
10 Section 2. The appropriations, and the allocations of such appropriations, from the State
11General Fund (Direct) contained in Section 1 of this Act shall be reduced by a total amount
12of Twenty Million Seventeen Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty Three and No/100
13($20,017,923.00) Dollars, pursuant to a plan adopted by the Judicial Budgetary Control
14Board or as approved by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
15 Section 3.A. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, or her duly authorized and
16appointed agent, shall warrant the state treasurer for the allocations herein provided, or for
17so much thereof as may be necessary. The aforesaid warrant shall be paid out of the state
18general fund, and the state treasurer shall pay said warrant by preference over all other
19warrants, except warrants for the salaries of constitutional officers of the state and warrants
20for expenses of the legislature, which shall be concurrent with the warrant provided by this
21Act.
22 B. The funds drawn as provided herein shall be deposited in the name of the judiciary
23in an approved bank that has been selected by the Supreme Court and is located in the state.
24 C. Any funds herein allocated to the judiciary, any portion of the funds previously
25appropriated to the judiciary, other revenue of the judiciary or its agencies, and interest
26earnings are hereby appropriated and may be used to defray the expenses of the judiciary;
27however, all funds remaining unexpended or unencumbered shall be returnable to the state
28general fund on or before September 1, 2018.
29 D. For Fiscal Year 2017-2018, any surpluses occurring in the appropriations made in
30this Act may be transferred from one agency or line-item to another during the fiscal year
31in accordance with the rules of the Judicial Budgetary Control Board, or as approved by the
32Supreme Court.
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HB NO. 620
1 E. The adjustment to be made in the salaries of judicial employees and the number of
2authorized positions of the judiciary shall be as decided by the judicial agency affected,
3subject to the approval of the Judicial Budgetary Control Board or as approved by the
4Supreme Court.
5 F. The program descriptions, general performance information and indicators,
6objectives, goals, and mission statements contained in this Act are not part of the law and
7are not enacted into law by virtue of their inclusion in this Act. The missions, goals, and
8objectives contained in the Act are derived from performance standards established by
9Section 10 of Part G General Administrative Rules of the Supreme Court of Louisiana.
10 G. The inclusion in this Act of staff salaries and benefits for lower court or other judicial
11branch agency employees shall not be deemed to create or impose any obligation upon the
12State of Louisiana Judicial Branch, the Supreme Court of Louisiana, the Judicial Budgetary
13Control Board, or the Supreme Court Judicial Administrator's Office relative to the
14administration of pay, retirement or other benefits to any such employees. Accordingly, the
15State of Louisiana Judicial Branch, the Supreme Court of Louisiana, the Judicial Budgetary
16Control Board, and the Supreme Court Judicial Administrator's Office are not to be
17considered the "employer" or "employing agency" of lower court or other judicial agency
18employees whose staff salaries and other benefits are included in this Act.
19 Section 4. This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2017; if vetoed by the
20governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on
July 1, 2017, or on the day following such approval by the legislature, whichever is later.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT
In accordance with R.S. 39:51(D), the following represents a comparative statement for
each Court and program. The operating budget for FY 2016-2017 is compared to the
appropriations for FY 2017-2018 as contained in the original bill.
Operating Budget Appropriation Request
Courts and Programs FY 2016-2017 FY 2017-2018
Supreme Court
Total Supreme Court$ 63,673,627 $74,680,658
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HB NO. 620
Courts of Appeal
Total Courts of Appeal$ 45,101,587 $47,551,252
District Courts
Total District Courts$ 46,311,638 $48,881,924
Other Courts
Total Other Courts $ 3,132,025 $3,202,337
Other Programs
Total Other Programs $ 634,064 $ 766,420
Non-Judicial State Expenses
Total State Expenses $ 2,070,853 $2,070,853
Total State General Fund
and Interagency Transfer
All Line Items $160,923,794 $177,153,444
Total Statutory Dedications$ 10,407,485 $10,240,925
Total Funding $171,331,279 $187,394,369
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 620 Reengrossed 2017 Regular Session Henry
Abstract: Appropriates funds for FY 2017-2018 for expenses of the Louisiana Judiciary,
including the supreme court, courts of appeal, district courts, Criminal Court of Orleans
Parish, juvenile and family courts, and other courts.
Appropriates funds for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 for the ordinary operating expenses of the
judicial branch of government with total funding of $171,164,719 from the following
sources: $151,530,944 out of the State General Fund (Direct); $9,392,850 through
interagency transfers from the Dept. of Children and Family Services; and, $10,240,925
from statutory dedications out of the Judges' Supplemental Compensation Fund and the Trial
Court Case Management Fund.
Funding for the ordinary operating expenses of the judicial branch of government is
provided as follows:
(1)Louisiana Supreme Court $84,921,583
(2)Courts of Appeal 47,551,252
(3)District Courts 39,577,372
(4)Criminal Court, Parish of Orleans 6,638,871
(5)Juvenile and Family Courts 2,665,681
(6)Other Courts (Required by Statute) 3,202,337
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HB NO. 620
(7)Other Courts (Not Required by Statute) 766,420
(8)Non-Judicial State Expenses 2,070,853
TOTAL $187,394,369
Requires that the appropriations out of the State General Fund (Direct) contained in this Act
be reduced by a total amount of $16,229,650, pursuant to a plan adopted by the Judicial
Budgetary Control Board or as approved by the La. Supreme Court.
Effective July 1, 2017.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
original bill:
1. Provide for a change in means of financing to decrease State General Fund
(Direct) and increase Interagency Transfers from the Dept. of Children and
Family Services by $9,392,850 for drug court maintenance and enhancement and
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
2. Add requirement that appropriations contained in this Act be reduced by a total
amount of $20,017,923 pursuant to a plan adopted by the Judicial Budgetary
Control Board or as approved by the La. Supreme Court.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Change the amount of reduction to the appropriations contained in this Act from
$20,017,923 to $16,229,650, resulting in an increase to the appropriation of
$3,788,273.
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