LAW & PUBLIC SAFETY
The Conference Committee report cuts millions of dollars in support for law and public safety from the FY 2009 GAA level. The Conference Committee also includes major consolidations of line items for the state’s court system, and brings on budget, funding for seven county sheriff’s offices.
Specifically, the Conference Report:
Funds private counsel compensation at $125.4 million, identical to the funding level in the final Senate budget. This appropriation, $24 million below the final House appropriation, is $15 million less the FY 2009 GAA appropriation. This line item provides compensation to lawyers assigned to low-income clients.
Consolidates funding for the Chief Justice of Administration and Management, identical to the origanziation in the final Senate budget and the Governor’s budget. The Conference Report funds the Chief Justice for Administration and Management at $196.2 million, $400,000 less than the final Senate appropriation and $3.8 million less than the House funding level.
Consolidates funding for the state’s court systems, following a recommendation made in the Governor’s budget. Through this consolidation each individual court system (ie: the district court system, the housing court system, etc.) receives on funding source. In previous years, each individual court within a court system received its own line item.
Funds Quinn Bill reimbursements at $10 million, identical to the funding level in the final Senate budget. This appropriation is $15 million below the final House budget and $40.2 million less than the FY 2009 GAA. The Conference Report also limits future eligibility for Quinn Bill reimbursements, which fund pay increases for police officers who receive degrees in criminal justice.
Funds the Charles E. Shannon grant program at $6.5 million, identical to the funding level in both the House and Senate final budgets. This program, funded at $13 million in the FY 2009 GAA, provides grants that support gang prevention programs.
Does not include funding for the state’s Local Law Enforcement Assistance program, which was funded at $5.3 million in the House budget. This program, which received $21.3 million in the FY 2009 GAA, provides community policing grants to cities and towns across the state.
Moves the seven county Sheriffs department budgets under the control of the state to provide efficiency and consistency. This change was initially proposed in the Governor’s budget.
Funds community corrections programs at $155.3 million. This appropriation is $2.8 million below the final House budget funding level, but $2 million above the funding level in the Senate budget. These programs were funded at $169.5 million in the FY 2009 GAA.
Staff
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