ALL WE LIKE TO CALL THE ASSEMBLY
BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE NUMBER SIX
TO ORDER TODAY WE WILL HAVE
ITEMS TO BE HEARD. PUBLIC SAFETY
BUDGET OVERVIEW. BOARD OF STATE
AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS AND
JUDICIAL BRANCH. THOSE WILL BE
AREAS THAT WE WILL HAVE OVERVIEW
ON TODAY. I WANT TO WELCOME
EVERYONE HERE TODAY WE'LL BE
COVERING ISSUES THAT ARE
IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY
BUDGET HERE MOVING FORWARD, UM
SPEAKERS ARE LISTED AND SPEAKING
ORDER FOR EACH OF THE ITEMS.
PLEASE KEEP YOUR REMARKS WITHIN
THE ALLOTTED TIME COMMUNICATED
TO YOU BY MY STAFF AND REMEMBER
TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES. UM
PRIOR TO SPEAKING, I'D LIKE TO
WELCOME SOME SPECIAL GUESTS THAT
WE HAVE HERE IN THIS HEARING
ROOM. THE HONORABLE LISA ROGAN,
PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE SAN
MARTINO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURTS.
AND ALSO HONORABLE. MARIA
HERNANDEZ, PRESIDING JUDGE OF
ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURTS.
AND FINALLY. ON ZOOM AND
TECHNOLOGY. WE KNOW THERE'S A
LOT OF WEATHER THAT'S TAKING
PLACE. I'M UP HERE IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA, BUT WE DO HAVE
HONORABLE, UM JOSEPH JAMES,
CHAIRMAN OF THE EUROPE TRIBE,
WHO WILL ALSO BE JOINING US
TODAY REMOTELY AND WE'RE WORKING
ON THAT TECHNOLOGY AS WE SPEAK.
WE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD AND
HAVING PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE END
OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT PANELS
THAT WE'RE HAVING HERE TODAY. WE
WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR FIRST
SPEAKER. OUR FIRST PANEL IF WE
CAN COME FORWARD. FROM THE, UH,
LEO'S OFFICE. UM. WE WILL
PROVIDE US WITH AN OVERVIEW OF
THE BUDGET AS A RELATES TO
PUBLIC SAFETY MATTERS. THE ELIO
HAS ALSO PROVIDED US WITH A
HANDOUT, WHICH IS POSTED ON OUR
WEBSITE. THANK YOU, MISS LEE.
GREAT THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANITA
LEE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE, UM SO
WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE AN
OVERVIEW OF THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSED 2425 PUBLIC SAFETY
BUDGET. WE WILL BE USING THE
HANDOUT THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR
PACKET AS A GUIDE FOR OUR
COMMENTS TODAY. PAGES ONE AND
TWO OF YOUR HANDOUT PROVIDE THAT
SUMMARY OF THE GOVERNOR'S 2425
PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET. THE TABLE
ON PAGE ONE, PROVIDES THE AMOUNT
OF ACTUAL AND PROPOSED SPENDING
BY DEPARTMENT LISTED OUT, UM AND
SEPARATED BY GENERAL FUND VERSUS
OTHER FUNDS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE
VERY BOTTOM OF THE TABLE AND
BOLD. YOU WILL SEE THE TOTAL
AMOUNT PROPOSED FOR ALL
DEPARTMENTS AND ACROSS ALL FUNDS
. IF YOU LOOK AT THE THIRD
COLUMN FROM THE RIGHT, YOU'LL
SEE THAT NEARLY 26.1 BILLION IS
BEING PROPOSED ACROSS ALL
DEPARTMENTS AND ACROSS ALL FUNDS
. THIS IS A DECREASE OF 1.7
BILLION, OR 6% FROM THE REVISED
2324 LEVEL. LOOKING AT THE LINE
IMMEDIATELY BELOW THAT THAT LINE
SHOWS THE AMOUNT THAT'S COMING
FROM THE GENERAL FUND. SO OF THE
20 OF THE NEARLY 26 POINT
1,000,000,019 0.4 BILLION OF
THAT WOULD BE COMING FROM THE
GENERAL FUND AND THAT GENERAL
FUND AMOUNT WOULD BE A DECREASE
OF 899 MILLION, OR 4% FROM THE
REVISED 2023 24 AMOUNT. THE
REDUCTION IS DUE TO VARIOUS
FACTORS, INCLUDING EXPIRATION OF
FUNDING PROVIDED IN PREVIOUS
YEARS, THE DEACTIVATION OF
PRISON FACILITIES AS WELL AS
PROPOSALS TO REDUCE SPENDING,
WHICH I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT
SHORTLY. IF YOU TURN TO PAGE
THREE OF YOUR HAND OUT, THIS
PROVIDES A TABLE OF ALL OF THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED GENERAL FUND
SOLUTIONS RELATED TO PUBLIC
SAFETY, AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT
ALL OF THOSE SOLUTIONS ARE LAID
OUT BY DEPARTMENT. IF YOU GO TO
THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE TABLE
THAT SHOWS THE TOTAL ACROSS ALL
OF THE DEPARTMENTS, SO MOVING
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE
THAT THE GENERAL FUND SOLUTIONS
TOTAL 239.9 MILLION IN 2324
210.2 MILLION IN 2425. AND THEN
IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY TO THE
RIGHT MOST COLUMN YOU'LL SEE
THAT THE ONGOING AMOUNT IS 68.8
MILLION. IF YOU TURN TO PAGE
FOUR OF YOUR HAND OUT WHEN WE
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE
GENERAL FUND SOLUTIONS, THERE'S
REALLY THREE TAKEAWAYS OR THEMES
THAT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR
THE COMMITTEE. THE FIRST THEME
IS THAT A NUMBER OF THE
PROPOSALS WOULD REDUCE THE
FUNDING AND REVERT THE FUNDS TO
THE GENERAL FUND. THOSE
PROPOSALS TOTAL 165 MILLION IN
2324 AND 153 MILLION IN 2425
WITH THAT ONGOING AMOUNT BEING
68.8 MILLION. EXAMPLE OF THAT IS
THAT THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IS
PROPOSING TO REDUCE CDCR PRISON
SPENDING BY 9.6 MILLION TO
ACCOUNT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE
SAVINGS FROM CLOSING FROM
DEACTIVATING CERTAIN PRISONS.
THE SECOND THEME OR TAKE AWAY IS
THAT SOME OF THE PROPOSALS ARE
SEEKING TO DELAY SPENDING AND SO
THOSE TOTAL 74.7 MILLION IN 2324
AND 57 MILLION IN 2425. AN
EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THAT THE 2324
BUDGET INCLUDED 87.7 MILLION TO
INSTALL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS AT
10 PRISONS, AND THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET IS PROPOSING TO DELAY 27
MILLION OF THAT TO FUTURE YEARS.
AND THEN THE THIRD TAKEAWAY IS
THAT SEVERAL OF THESE PROPOSALS
ARE SPECIFICALLY IMPACTING
PROGRAMS THAT WERE CREATED BY
THE LEGISLATURE. AND THERE'S
REALLY FIVE OF THEM THAT WE WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU. SO ON THE
BOTTOM HALF OF PAGE FOUR. WE'VE
LISTED THREE PROGRAMS. FIRST
THESE THREE PROGRAMS ARE ALL
PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE
MONIES THAT ARE BEING REVERTED.
SO THAT MEANS THAT MONEY ISN'T
GOING TO BE SPENT. THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET FIRST IS
PROPOSING TO ELIMINATE 40
MILLION FOR THE FINAL YEAR OF
THE PUBLIC DEFENDER PILOT
PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES GRANTS
THAT SUPPLEMENT LOCAL FUNDING
FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE. SECOND OF
GOVERNORS ALSO PROPOSING TO
REVERT 20 OUT OF 40 MILLION
PROVIDED FOR THE COURT BASED
FIREARM RELINQUISHMENT PROGRAM.
THAT WOULD ENFORCE COURT ORDERS,
REMOVING FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION
FROM THOSE PROHIBITED FROM
PROCESSING THEM AND THIRD, THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSING TO
ELIMINATE 15 MILLION FOR THE
MULTI FAMILY SEISMIC RETROFIT
GRANT PROGRAM THAT WOULD PROVIDE
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR
RETROFITTING MULTI FAMILY
HOUSING THAT ARE AT RISK OF
COLLAPSE DURING EARTHQUAKES. SO
IF YOU TURN TO PAGE FIVE OF YOUR
HAND OUT THE LAST TWO PROGRAMS
WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOUR
ATTENTION ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE
PROPOSED FOR DELAYED SPENDING.
SO THE FIRST PROGRAM IS THE
ADULT REENTRY GRANT PROGRAM,
WHICH WAS FIRST CREATED IN 20 AS
PART OF THE 2018 19 BUDGET, AND
THAT PROVIDES FUNDING TO
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO
OFFER REENTRY SERVICES. THE
GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING TO DELAY
ALL OF THE 57 MILLION PLANNED
FOR EXPENDITURE IN 2425, AND
INSTEAD 19 MILLION WOULD BE
SPENT ANNUALLY OVER THREE YEARS.
BUT STARTING IN 2526, SO THAT'S
YOUR DELAY RIGHT THERE. THE
SECOND PROGRAM IS THE FLEXIBLE
CASH ASSISTANCE FOR SURVIVORS
GRANT PROGRAM. THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSING TO DELAY THE
ALLOCATION OF 47.5 OUT OF 50
MILLION THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR
2324 AND PROPOSING TO SHIFT THAT
TO 2526 INSTEAD. AND SO THIS IS
A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE A PILOT
FOR GRANTS FROM COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT DIRECT
CASH ASSISTANCE TO CERTAIN CRIME
VICTIMS. TURNING TO THE FINAL
PAGE OF YOUR HANDOUT PAGE SIX.
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PROPOSES
RELATIVELY FEW NEW MAJOR GENERAL
FUND PUBLIC SAFETY SPENDING
PROPOSALS WHICH WERE GENERALLY
DEFINING AS THOSE PROPOSALS THAT
ARE OVER $10 MILLION, AND SO,
FROM THIS PAGE, YOU CAN SEE THAT
THEY ARE GENERALLY CLUSTERED IN
THREE DEPARTMENTS. THE FIRST
DEPARTMENT IS CDCR. THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IS PROPOSING
114.9 MILLION FOR VARIOUS HEALTH
CARE COSTS. THIS INCLUDES
40,000,001 TIME TO COVER
PROJECTED OVERSPENDING IN THE
PRISON MEDICAL CARE BUDGET. 38.4
MILLION ONGOING TO COVER COVID
HEALTHCARE COSTS AND 36 POINT
5,000,004 CONTRACT MEDICAL
SERVICES. IN ADDITION TO THAT
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IS ALSO
PROPOSING 22 MILLION TO COVER
INCREASED PRISON UTILITY COSTS.
THE SECOND DEPARTMENT RECEIVING
A MAJOR GENERAL FUND SPENDING
PROPOSAL IS THE JUDICIAL BRANCH.
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IS
PROPOSING 19.1 MILLION ONGOING
FOR SELF HELP CENTERS. THIS
WOULD MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF
FUNDING PROVIDED SINCE 2018 19,
AND YOU'RE GONNA BE TALKING
ABOUT THIS ONE IN MORE DETAIL,
UM AS ISSUE FIVE OF YOUR AGENDA.
AND THEN THE THIRD DEPARTMENT
WITH A MAJOR GENERAL FUND
SPENDING PROPOSAL IS THE
MILITARY DEPARTMENT. THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IS PROPOSING
$15 MILLION ANNUALLY IN 2425 AND
2526 TO CONTINUE THE STATE
FUNDED EXPANSION OF THE COUNTER
DRUG TASK FORCE PROGRAM. AND SO
THIS WOULD MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF
STATE FUNDING PROVIDED SINCE
2223. AS WE CONCLUDE OUR
COMMENTS. THE ONE THING THAT OUR
OFFICE WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE
IS AS THE COMMITTEE IS THINKING
ABOUT PROPOSALS FOR NEW SPENDING
, WHETHER IT'S THOSE PROPOSED BY
THE GOVERNOR OR OTHER PROPOSALS
AS WELL. THE LEGISLATURE WILL
WANT TO WEIGH IT AGAINST ITS
OTHER LEGISLATIVE SPENDING
PRIORITIES. GIVEN THE STATE'S
BUDGET SITUATION, ANY
AUGMENTATION AND SPENDING WILL
LIKELY NEED TO BE OFFSET BY
REDUCTIONS IN OTHER AREAS AND
SO, TO THE EXTENT THE STATE'S
BUDGET SITUATION WORSENS, AS WAS
RECENTLY INDICATED IN OUR UPDATE
TO THE STATE BUDGET CONDITION,
THOSE TRADE OFFS ARE GOING TO BE
HEIGHTENED BECAUSE THE
LEGISLATURE WILL LIKELY ALREADY
NEED TO MAKE SOME REDUCTIONS TO
EXISTING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, THIS
COMMITTEE MAY WANT TO APPLY
HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY FOR ANY NEW
SPENDING PROPOSALS WITH THAT
WILL CONCLUDE OUR COMMENTS AND
ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION. ANY
QUESTIONS? FROM THE DIET.
REMEMBER LACKING. I UNDERSTAND
THAT NO CUT IS POPULAR. AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT ADJUSTMENTS HAVE
TO BE MADE IN ANY KIND OF CUT.
BUT YOU MIGHT FIND THIS A LITTLE
SURPRISING, BUT I'M VERY, VERY
TROUBLED BY THIS PUBLIC DEFENDER
PILOT PROGRAM. CUT TO THAT
EXTENT BECAUSE THESE ARE
INDIGENT. PEOPLE THAT NEED
CRIMINAL DEFENSE. HOW HOW ARE WE
GOING TO SERVE THAT POPULATION
WITH THIS KIND OF CUT? I THINK
THAT THAT MIGHT BE A QUESTION
QUESTION. BETTER DIRECTED TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE IS IT'S A
PROPOSAL FROM THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE. BECAUSE, BELIEVE IT OR
NOT, I BELIEVE IN BALANCE SHOULD
JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND THIS SEEMS
TO BE VERY, VERY UNFAIR. IS THIS
ON? OKAY SOMETHING THAT DOES THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE? UM WE
THIS IS REALLY NOT WITHSTANDING
THE MERITS OF THIS PROGRAM IN A
VALUATION OF THE PROGRAMS AND
FUNDING THAT WAS AVAILABLE. WE
LOOK FOR POTENTIAL FUNDING THAT
HAD NOT BEEN SPENT YET OR
DISTRIBUTED TO ANYONE. SO IT
REALLY IS. OUTSIDE OF THAT. THIS
IS A THREE YEAR PILOT PROGRAM.
WE HAVE FUNDED 100 MILLION OF
THAT PROGRAM AND, UM THERE IS WE
BELIEVE THERE'S ENOUGH DATA
THERE FOR EVALUATION OF THAT
PILOT. UM, AND THE PROPOSAL WAS
SIMPLY TO CUT THE THIRD YEAR.
NOT THAT THAT WAS AN EASY
DECISION, BUT THAT'S UM IT WAS
JUST SIMPLY FUNDING THAT HAD NOT
YET BEEN, UM, DISTRIBUTED MY
ONLY PROBLEM IS THIS IS THE.
PROBABLY THE GREATEST CHALLENGE
PART OF OUR POPULATION. AND
THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF
THAT POPULATION THAT FALLS IN
THIS CATEGORY. I KNOW THIS FOR A
FACT. AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE
THIS IS THE LAST PLACE WE SHOULD
CUT, NOT THE FIRST. THAT'S JUST
A COMMENT. I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO
HAVE AN ANSWER FOR ME. I'M JUST
FINDING THAT TO BE PUZZLING.
THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THIS COMMENTS, AND IT IS
TOUGH TIMES WHEN WE'RE LOOKING
AT THE BUDGET, AND THEN FURTHER
ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT WE'RE EVEN
DEEPER THAN WHEN WE FIRST
STARTED, AND WE FIRST CAME BACK
IN JANUARY. SO HAVING SOME OF
THESE, UM TOUGH DISCUSSIONS OUT
IN THE OPEN AND TRANSPARENCY
SHOWS THE NEED THAT'S THERE. ONE
MORE THIS FIREARM RELINQUISHMENT
PROGRAM. I ALSO FIND TO BE
PUZZLING. WHEN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE VIOLENT NATURE OF
PEOPLE AND RED FLAG LAWS. AH
WHICH ALWAYS MAKES SENSE TO ME.
UM THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST
LIKELY DANGEROUS. GROUP OF
PEOPLE. TO RELAX OUR ENFORCEMENT
ON FIREARM ENFORCEMENT. UM,
THESE. THESE FOLKS, NOT NOT ALL
OF THEM ARE GOING TO USE
FIREARMS. BUT THE PROPENSITY AND
THE LIKELIHOOD YES.
SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER. AND WHY
WE WOULD RISK SOMEONE'S LIFE.
OVER. I MEAN, 20 $40 MILLION
IT'S A LOT, BUT IS IT REALLY
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE'S
LIVES AT STAKE? I FIND THAT ALSO
TO BE VERY PUZZLING CUT UM AND I
THINK IT'S SUPER DANGEROUS AND
MAYBE BORDERLINE IRRESPONSIBLE.
SO THOSE ARE MY TWO AREAS OF
CONCERN IN THIS PRESENTATION. UM
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER
IS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I
FIND THEM TO BE HARD TO JUSTIFY
THAT'S ALL. THAT'S ALL I GOT.
THANK YOU, MEMBER. SO REMEMBER
LACKEY FOR THAT, AND IT IS TOUGH
AND A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT
DISCUSSIONS THERE WHEN YOU SEE A
SECTOR THAT TALKS ABOUT
LEGISLATURE AND THE DIFFERENT
BILLS THAT WERE PASSED AS FAR AS
BEING ASKED TO REDUCTIVE
REDUCTION TAKE PLACE ARE
DIFFERENT DELAYS THAT ARE THERE
IS GOING TO BRING UP SOME
QUESTIONS. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT UM, TOUGH
HERE THIS YEAR IN THE
LEGISLATURE AS FAR AS THE
DIFFERENT GAPS IN THE FUNDING.
THAT'S THERE, BUT THAT'S WHAT
THESE HEARINGS ARE MEANT TO DO
IS HIGHLIGHT AREAS THAT MEMBERS
HAVE CONCERN ON SO THAT WE CAN
GO BACK AND BETTER ADVOCATE FOR
THEIR BEHALF GOING BACK AND
FORTH DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING UP
AND ANSWERING THAT QUESTION. I
WANT TO THANK YOU ALSO TO ELIO
FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AS WE NOW
TRANSITION INTO PANEL, TOO.
PANEL TWO WILL BE, UH K¾T.
HOWARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOARD
OF STATE AND COMMUNITY
CORRECTIONS. AH EDDIE ESCOBAR
FILLED REPRESENTATIVE BOARD OF
STATE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
CHAIRMAN, UH JOSEPH JAMES FROM
THE YUROK TRIBE. CYNTHIA MENDOZA
, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND
ANITA LEE L. A. OH, PLEASE BEGIN
, MISS HOWARD. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MR CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. UM I WOULD LIKE TO
CHECK IN WITH JENNIFER. IF I
COULD. WOULD YOU STILL LIKE ME
TO DO THE VERY QUICK HIGH LEVEL
OVERVIEW OF THE SCC
RESPONSIBILITIES OR SHALL WE
JUMP RIGHT INTO MY P JUMP INTO
MM I P. THAT'S GREAT. HAPPY TOO.
SO I'M JOINED TODAY BY MY
COLLEAGUE, MR EDDIE ESCOBAR AND
WE ARE HERE FROM THE BOARD OF
STATE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS.
MY NAME IS KATIE HOWARD. AS MR
CHAIR SAID, UM, THE MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE GRANT
OR MM, I P AS WELL CALL IT GOING
FORWARD HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR
THIS LEGISLATURE, AND CERTAINLY
MR RAMOS, IN PARTICULAR FOR THE
LAST TWO YEARS, AND OUR BOARD
HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO
ADMINISTER THAT GRANT EDDIE'S
THE LEAD STAFF AND HE WILL
PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
WE PUT OUT A RFP IN THE FIRST
YEAR THAT THIS GRANT WAS FUNDED,
UM AND FOUR GRANTS WERE FUNDED
TOTALING ALMOST $3 MILLION. WE
PUT A SECOND RFP OUT INTO THE
FIELD BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE
ADDED FUNDING FOR MORE MM IP
GRANTS TO BE PUT OUT IN LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET. SO UM, WE RELEASE
THAT R P IN NOVEMBER OF LAST
YEAR. UM, I'M GONNA STEP ON ONE
OF YOUR LINES EDDIE, AND THERE'S
ABOUT $20 MILLION AVAILABLE OUT
IN THE FIELD RIGHT NOW FOR
COHORT, TOO, AND I'D LIKE EDDIE
TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE LEVEL OF
INTEREST THAT WE'RE HEARING
ABOUT. AND WE ARE VERY, VERY
ENCOURAGED BY THE AMOUNT OF
INTEREST IN THE RESPONSES THAT
WE'RE HEARING FROM. TRIBES
ACROSS THE STATE FOR THE MM. I
P. GRANT. GO AHEAD, EDDIE. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MR CHAIR AND MEMBERS
OF THE BOARD EDDIE ESCOBAR. IT'S
BEEN A SUPER EXCITING TO SEE
THIS GRANT. UM, JUST WORDS WHERE
IT'S GOING. I CURRENTLY
ADMINISTERED THE TRIBAL YOUTH
DIVERSION GRANT. UM AND WE HAVE
ABOUT 10 GRANTEES, UH, WITH WITH
THAT GRANT AND AGAIN THEY DID A
LOT OF GREAT WORK FOR YOUTH
DIVERSION, SO I DEFINITELY
PRESSED THOSE THOSE GRANTEES TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY APPLIED SO
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, THE
DEADLINE FOR THE COHORT TO M N Y
P GRANT IS NEXT FRIDAY. AND I'M
SUPER EXCITED TO SEE THAT IN OUR
, UH UM SUBMIT HERBAL PORTAL,
WHICH IS THE SUBMISSION PORTAL.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 23 APPLICANTS
IN THERE FOR DRAFTS. ACTUALLY
BEFORE THIS MEETING, 20. ANOTHER
ONE WOULD BE THE 24TH CALLED ME
AND SAID, HEY, WE'RE GONNA APPLY
. JUST NEED SOME ASSISTANCE WITH
KIND OF SETTING UP OUR PORTAL
SOULS. IT'LL BE 24. WITH TWO
WEEKS LEFT, WHICH IS WHICH,
WHICH IS GOOD NEWS. CURRENTLY WE
HAVE SIX LETTERS OF INTENT. WE
HAVE THE PECHANGA BAND OF
INDIANS, THE HOOPER VALLEY TRIBE
, THE KARAOKE TRIBE LOUISVILLE
WILL BE SUBMITTING A
COLLABORATIVE. THE YUROK TRIBAL
ALSO BE SUBMITTING A
COLLABORATIVE IN THE JAMMU
TRIBAL ALSO BE SUBMITTED,
SUBMITTING A COLLABORATIVE SO
SUPER EXCITED JUST TO INTEREST
WE'VE DONE NUMEROUS
PRESENTATIONS. I MEAN, I CAN SAY
I'VE DONE PERSONALLY ABOUT 12
MYSELF. UM, SOME OF THEM HAVE
BEEN WITH WITH WITH, YOU KNOW,
NUMEROUS TRIBES, AND SOME OF
THEM HAVE BEEN INDIVIDUALS
REQUESTED TO JUST SIT DOWN WITH
US AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE GRANT AND SO SUPER EXCITED
ABOUT DOING THAT A LOT OF GOOD
RECEPTION. A LOT OF GOOD
INTEREST QUESTIONS. UM I GET
QUESTIONS ALMOST DAILY. HOW TO
DO THIS? HOW CAN WE DO IT FOR
THAT? I MEAN, THE NEW RFP. WE
EXPANDED THE ACTIVITIES LIST
MADE IT MORE CLEAR. SO GRANTEES
ARE POTENTIAL GRANTEES OR
APPLICANTS ARE SUPER EXCITED
ABOUT WHAT THEY COULD USE THE
FUNDS FOR SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE
AT RIGHT NOW. AGAIN AS I
MENTIONED WE'RE AT 24 POTENTIAL
GRANTEES AND AGAIN THROUGHOUT
THE OUR LAST MY LAST
PRESENTATION THAT I DID LAST
MONTH WE HAD ABOUT MAYBE 70
TRIBES IN ATTENDANCE. SO AGAIN.
TYPICALLY THEY MIGHT COME IN A
LITTLE LATER AND HE'S LIKE THESE
NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. SO WE KNOW
THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GOOD A
GOOD REPRESENTATION OF PROGRAM
THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EDDIE.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD IF I COULD
MR CHAIR THAT SINCE WE PUT THE
SECOND RFP OUT OR WHEN WE'RE IN
THE PROCESS OF PUTTING THAT
BEFORE A BOARD WE'VE HAD ABOUT
17 DIFFERENT, UM, OUTREACH
EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE DONE. A LOT
OF THOSE HAVE BEEN ON ZOOMS BUT
ALSO QUARTERLY. UM, TRIBAL
AFFAIRS CALLS AND AS EDDIE
MENTIONED THERE WAS A VIRTUAL
GRANT INFORMATION SESSION AT THE
END OF JANUARY, SO I'M VERY
HOPEFUL THAT OF THESE NOW 24
INDIVIDUAL APPLICANTS THAT HAVE
AT LEAST STARTED THERE.
APPLICATIONS JUST WANT TO BE
CLEAR WE HAVE. WE DON'T HAVE
COMPLETED APPLICATIONS FROM
EVERYBODY, BUT WE CAN TELL FROM
THIS ONLINE SUBMISSION PORTAL
THAT 24 APPLICATIONS HAVE AT
LEAST BEEN INITIATED. AND WE'RE
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT
YOU MAY HAVE. THANKS FOR YOUR
SUPPORT ON THIS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH AS CHAIRMAN JAMES. GO
AHEAD, CHAIRMAN JAMES. THANK YOU
. SOMEBODY WE'RE ALMOST HERE.
HERE. HERE. TAKE MY NAME IS
JOSEPH JAMES, CHAIRMAN OF THE
EURO TRUCK. AH YOU KNOW, JUST
ABOUT THE MONEY FOR THE I, P. UM
IT'S CRITICAL. IT'S BOTTLE FOR
US. UM THE GOVERNOR LEISURE FOR
THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE HAVE
FUNDED 12 MILLION EACH OF THESE
PAST YEARS. TO ADDRESS THIS
HISTORICAL NEXT VIOLENCE OF
TRAVELING. BUT THE NEED IS OVER
200 MILLION TO FUND MORE
EFFECTIVE STATE PROGRAM. LITTLE
DRASTIC CURRENT PRICING REPAIR.
I'M HERE TO QUEST AND TO
ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL 12
MILLION THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. YOU
KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT
WE HAVEN'T DONE ALL YOURSELF.
SAID WE WERE RAMOS AND TACKLE
THIS, LIKE EAT. UM. SO AGAIN AS
I WANTED TO TALK THE IMPORTANCE
AS STATED, AH, THE PROGRAM.
THREE APPLICATIONS. IT'S GREAT
TO HEAR THERE'S 20. PATIENTS
WITH YOUR TRIBE. HAVE BEEN
PARTNERING OUT IN WITH THEIR
BROTHERS AND SISTERS THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA. REGARDING THE NEED
FOR THIS FUNDING. UH YOU KNOW,
WE'RE ALSO SUPPORTED A REGIONAL
OUTREACH APPROACH. UTILIZING THE
FUNDING FOR TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE. AND ALSO WANT TO
EXPRESS THE NEED FOR PROBLEMS
WHEN YOU WERE A TRIBE YEAH, AND
HAVE MARKET CAPACITY FOR GRANT
FUNDING. UH THE REVERSE MINT.
IT'S DIFFICULT AT TIMES GOING
AFTER THESE GRANTS. AGAIN. WHERE
A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THIS
PROGRAM AND THE FUN VITAL AND
CRITICAL FOR THE TRIBES. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. AND THANK YOU.
I KNOW THAT TRAVELING IS PRETTY,
UH DANGEROUS RIGHT NOW, WITH A
LOT OF AVALANCHE WARNINGS AND
THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, SO THANK
YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT,
UM, USING TECHNOLOGY. THANK YOU.
ANY COMMENTS FROM DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. ELIO. ANY COMMENTS FROM
THE DAIS. SO WE WERE LUCKY.
YEAH, JUST A COUPLE QUICK
QUESTIONS. ABOUT HOW LONG DOES
IT TAKE AN OPTIMISTIC
PREDICTION. FROM THE TIME A
GRANT IS AWARDED TO THE PEOPLE
ACTUALLY RECEIVING THEIR FUNDING
. SURE I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THAT
K¾T HOWARD WITH THE BSC SEE THE
PROCESS THAT WE HAVE FOR GRANT
MAKING IN OUR COMPETITIVE GRANTS
, UH, DOES TAKE TIME, BUT WE'RE
WE THINK IT'S A VERY, VERY
EFFECTIVE WAY TO ENSURE FAIRNESS
AND CONSISTENCY IN HOW A
COMPETITIVE GRANT IS RATED AND
SCORED. SO AS EDDIE MENTIONED
MARCH, 15TH THE IDES OF MARCH IS
THE DUE DATE FOR THIS GRANT, AND
THEN WE HAVE A SCORING PAN.
CHANNEL THAT WILL COME TOGETHER
AND BE TRAINED IN THE RATING
CRITERIA. UM AND THEY WILL HAVE
A NUMBER OF WEEKS TO REVIEW THE
APPLICATIONS AND SUBMIT THEIR
SCORES. OUR RESEARCH TEAM
COMPILES ALL OF THOSE SCORES.
AND THEN THE AWARDS ARE SLATED.
I THINK I'M GOING TO SAY THIS
RIGHT TO GO TO OUR BOARD IN JUNE
OF THIS YEAR, SO THE AWARDS
WOULD BE MADE, UM AT THE BOARD
MEETING, AND THEN WE BEGIN THE
CONTRACT PROCESS IMMEDIATELY. SO
IN THIS CASE, THE TIMEFRAME IS
DUE DATE OF MARCH. 15TH AND THEN
AWARDS ARE NOTIFIED BY I BELIEVE
THE THIRD OR SO WEEK IN JUNE.
OKAY? AND YOU SAID YOU HAD IT
LIKE 20, SOME APPLICATION. YES,
24. THEY'RE NOT COMPLETED, BUT
THEY'VE BEEN STARTED THE
APPLICATIONS AND HOW LONG DO
THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE THEM? THE
DUE DATE IS THE 15TH OF MARCH,
BUT THE APPLICATION WAS RELEASED
TO THE FIELD IN NOVEMBER. SO
IT'S BEEN OUT IN THE FIELD FOR A
BOUNCE. RUN SHORT. SO WHAT
YOU'RE SAYING, RIGHT? YEAH IF
THEY'RE THEY'RE IN PROCESS AND
THEY, YOU KNOW, LET'S HOPE
GETTING CLOSE TO COMPLETION.
OKAY? BECAUSE MY QUESTION IS I
MEAN YOU HAD FOUR OF THE TRIBES.
ACTUALLY GET AWARDED, RIGHT? YES
UH, THAT'S THAT ONLY CAME TO 2.8
MILLION ABOUT 4 MILLION.
ACTUALLY, ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S THE
FOUR THAT WERE AWARDED, UM OH,
DID I HAVE THAT WRONG? OH,
EXCUSE ME ABOUT 3 MILLION
MISTAKE. 2.8 IS ABOUT THREE. SO
WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PAGE. IT SURE
IS. I HAD OTHER NUMBERS IN MY
HEAD. I'M SORRY, OKAY? ALL
RIGHT. WELL, THAT THAT KIND OF
SATISFIES MY BIGGEST QUESTION
THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE'S
A LOT WE COULD DO TO ACCELERATE
THAT PROCESS. IF THERE'S THAT
MUCH INFORMATION TO DIGEST, BUT
WELL, AND I THINK WITH HELP FROM
MR RAMOS AND HIS OFFICE, UM WE
KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO DO A MUCH
BETTER JOB MAKING SURE THE WORD
WAS OUT IN THE FIELD THAT THIS
FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE, AND
THAT'S WHY WE DID 17 DIFFERENT
KIND OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND NOW TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE LIKE I SAID
THE WORD IS OUT. UM AND SO THAT
TRIBES ARE AWARE THAT THIS
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE. BECAUSE IT
IS ALARMING TO ME THAT OUT OF 12
MILLION. WE'VE ONLY SPENT 2.8.
THAT'S IT. THAT'S NOT NORMAL.
UM, AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT THE REASON WHY, AND I
THINK IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR
ATTENTION THAT A LOT OF US
COMMUNICATION CHALLENGE AND
GETTING THE WORD OUT BECAUSE
THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY SERIOUS
PROBLEM. ABSOLUTELY. AND SO I'M
HOPING THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THIS
PROBLEM IN A REASONABLE WAY. I
HOPE SO, TOO. OKAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO VERY LACKING. IT IS
AN AREA WHERE CALIFORNIA'S
NUMBER FIVE OF ALL THE STATES IN
THE NATION OF NOT INVESTIGATING,
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS
PERSONS, NATIVE PERSONS FROM
FEDERALLY INDIAN RESERVATIONS
AND COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, UM, CHAIRMAN JAMES,
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE
REIMBURSEMENT COMPONENT. CAN YOU
CAN YOU SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THAT? YEAH YOU KNOW, ONE
OF YOUR YOU KNOW, WE'RE
FORTUNATE WILL USE FUNDING FROM
PHILANTHROPY AND IN HER GRANT
WRITER AND TAKE ON THIS TIME,
JACK GRANT, UM AND WHEN YOU'RE
GETTING AWARDS TRY CAN'T SPEAK
FOR OTHERS, BUT AGAIN WHEN YOU
HAVE LITTLE CAPACITY TO FUND IT.
UH IF IT'S AFFECTING GRANT WARD
UP HALF INTERRUPTED MILLION, UM
FRIEND. ALL THAT MONEY TO BE
REIMBURSED. SO UM, MAYBE LOOKING
AT WITH YOU KNOW THE UPFRONT
LATER FOR MONEY OR HALF OF IT UP
FRONT. I JUST WANTED TO SEE WAYS
OF SOLUTION. ONE OF OUR
ADDRESSING A CRISIS HERE, AND IT
IS A NEW PROGRAM. UH LIKE YOU
SAID, THE NEED IS OUT THERE. UH
THE OUTREACH. WE'RE GETTING
BETTER A LOT BETTER AT IT. GOOD
TO HEAR THERE'S MORE APPLICANTS,
AND I THINK IT'S JUST GOING TO
CONTINUE TO GROW AS CALIFORNIA
HAS ANSWERED THAT BELL WAS
SOLUTIONS. BUT WITH THE
AWARENESS OF THE CAPITAL
LEADERSHIP THERE WITH PROFESSOR
ALERT YOU KNOW WHERE THAT WERE
STATED IN THE UNITED STATES.
FEDERAL ROUTE SYSTEM. BUT GET
BACK TO YOUR QUESTION. UM YOU
KNOW, THESE ARE ONE OF THE
OBSTACLES AND HURDLES THAT THAT
THEY WERE GOING THROUGH AS A AS
A SMALL TRIBE THAT DON'T HAVE
THOSE CAPACITIES AND RESOURCES
THERE. WE DIDN'T BURST THAT. AH!
THAT'S HURT. AS AN OBSTACLE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT,
AND FINE TUNING THAT THAT POINT
FROM TRIBAL GOVERNMENT,
PERSPECTIVE AND IT AND IT IS, UM
YOU KNOW, WE STILL DEAL WITH
DIFFERENT STEREOTYPES THAT SOME
TRIBES, UM, ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE
SOME OF THAT REIMBURSEMENT
COMPONENT UPFRONT, BUT THOSE
THAT ARE IN MOST DIRE NEED.
DON'T HAVE THE MEANS OF
RESOURCES FOR THAT. SO LOOKING A
LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THIS FAR
AS THE GRANT WRITING, UM WHETHER
THERE'S ASSISTANCE, WHETHER
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT COULD GO
ON SO WE CAN START TO GET MORE
OF THOSE TRIBES THAT WOULD NOT
ONLY JUST OPENED UP BUT ACTUALLY
QUALIFY FOR AWARDING SOME OF
THOSE GRANTS. WE DO KNOW THAT WE
DID TALK AND AS FAR AS GETTING
THE OUTREACH OUT THERE AND THANK
YOU FOR THE 17 OUTREACH
COMPONENTS THAT YOU CONDUCTED,
UM AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S
GETTING OUT THERE, BUT WE ALSO
HAVE TO LOOK AT, UM IT'S A
CRISIS. IT'S A CRISIS IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IT'S A
CRISIS WITHIN TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. UM BEING THAT LARGE
OF A STATE WITH THAT LARGE OF A
THIS LARGE OF A NATIVE AMERICAN
POPULATION, BUT YET HAVE THE
CRITERIA STATISTICS THAT SHOW
WE'RE GOING IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION. ONE IT COMES TO. MM,
I W S. WE HAVE TO START TO LOOK
AT. UM ARE WE LOOKING AT TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS IN THE SAME VIEW AS
OTHER LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES IN
OUR DEMAND UPON THEM? AND ARE
SOME OF THOSE, UM, THAT ARE IN
MOST DIRE NEED OF RECEIVING
THESE RESOURCES. UM THEIR TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS ARE STILL IN A
POSITION WHERE THEY NEED THAT
RESOURCES MOVING FORWARD, AND I
BRING THAT UP BECAUSE WHEN YOU
KNOW WE GREW UP ON THE SUMMER
WAY INDIAN RESERVATION AND WAY
BEFORE THINGS ARE THE WAY THEY
ARE NOW THERE WAS GRANT WRITERS
THAT WOULD COME AND THEN IT WAS
NEVER CALLED AN IA GRANTS, AND
THEY WOULD MOVE FORWARD ON THE
GRANTS. THEY WOULD WRITE
THEMSELVES IN THE GRANTS SO THEY
COULD GET PAID. BASICALLY
VOLUNTEERING TO WRITE THOSE
GRANTS. AND IF TRIBES AREN'T IN
A POSITION TO HAVE THE
REIMBURSEMENT, THOSE TYPES OF
COMPONENT THEY MIGHT NOT EVEN BE
ENGAGED IN PURSUING THAT GRANT.
IF IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THAT'S WHY I THINK HAVING THESE
TYPES OF HEARINGS GETTING THESE
TYPES OF DIALOGUES OUT THERE. UM
SO THAT WE START TO TRULY
UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GONNA WORK
TOGETHER TO BRING SOME SOLUTIONS
TO THE TABLE. I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THE REGIONAL OUTREACH.
THAT'S THERE AND ANOTHER
QUESTION, MR ESCOBAR, UM, SINCE
YOU FIRST STARTED, WE STARTED ON
DIFFERENT COMPONENTS DIFFERENT
GRANT STRAIGHT TO TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. AND THIS IS A BIG
NEED. BUT DO WE ALSO KNOW DO WE
FEEL THAT THERE'S A GREATER NEED
OUT THERE IF WE DID MORE
RESEARCH WITHIN THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA? AS FAR AS THE ISSUE
GOES AS FAR AS THE ISSUE GOES,
AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES AS FAR AS
RESOURCES SOME SOME OF THE
TRIBES WANT TO USE THE FUNDS
JUST TO DO THAT, JUST TO SEE HOW
BIG THE ISSUE IS ON THE TRIBE
REGIONALLY BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM
ARE STARTING FROM FROM THE
GROUND UP. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY,
SOME OF THE TRIBES THAT'S BEEN
WORKING ON THE ISSUE FOR A VERY
LONG TIME. THAT KIND OF A LITTLE
BIT MORE AHEAD. BUT SOME OF THE
TRIBES HAVE REACHED OUT SAYING
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. WE WANT
TO START OFF FROM THE VERY THE
VERY BOTTOM VERY MINIMAL. THAT'S
WHAT FUNDS COULD BE USED FOR. SO
DURING THE PRESENTATIONS, WE
JUST, YOU KNOW, WE GAVE HIM A
WHOLE LIST OF ACTIVITIES AGAIN.
NON EXHAUSTIVE, BUT AGAIN, SOME
OF THE TRIBES JUST WANT TO DO
JUST THAT. THEY WANT TO JUST SEE
HOW BIG ISSUE IS AND CREATE A
PROGRAM BASED ON ON THAT THE
INFORMATION THEY RECEIVED THANK
YOU, AND IT GOES TO THE OVERALL
BIGGER PICTURE AS FAR AS LACK OF
DATA WHEN WE START TO MOVE
FORWARD, WORKING WITH ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION ON THIS ISSUE,
ALSO THAT THE DATA THAT'S OUT
THERE, UM, HASN'T BEEN COLLECTED
AND WHETHER IT'S JURISDICTIONAL
DIVIDE OR WHAT, BUT NOW WE'RE AT
A POINT HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TO WORK TOGETHER TO
COLLECT THAT DATA, THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S THERE BUT
ALSO TO BRING RESOLVE. TO THOSE
THAT ARE OUT THERE. UM THAT
COULD BE GOING THROUGH SOME OF
THESE CHALLENGES NOW THAT NEED
DRASTICALLY NEED THOSE
RESOURCES, RIGHT? JUST ONE
ADDITIONAL THOUGHT. THANK YOU,
MR RAMOS. UM WE DO ONCE ONCE
THESE GRANTS ARE AWARDED, WE
WILL BEGIN TO COLLECT
INFORMATION AND DATA FROM EACH
OF THE GRANTEES. SO WE'LL SET UP
AND EDDIE WILL BE CENTRALLY
INVOLVED IN THIS WHAT WE CALL
QUÊ PRS, WHICH IS A QUARTERLY
PROGRESS REPORT AND VERY HAPPY
TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTERWARDS
TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT THOSE
DATA ELEMENTS ARE SO THAT YOU
CAN SEE IT IS IMPORTANT WHEN THE
WHEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
MAKES AN INVESTMENT LIKE THIS,
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT
KINDS OF ACTIVITIES ARE BEING.
DONE WHAT SEEMS TO BE HELPFUL.
AND THEN WHAT RESULTS ARE
FLOWING FROM THERE, SO THERE
WILL BE A LOT MORE INFORMATION
TO SHARE ONCE THE GRANTS ARE
UNDERWAY. WELL, THANK YOU. AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIRMAN
JAMES FOR BRINGING THAT VOICE
FORWARD. UM AND THANK YOU TO OUR
PANEL FOR HAVING THIS
DISCUSSIONS THAT CENTER AROUND A
CRISIS IN AND HERE IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA DEALING WITH
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE. IT'S
BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE HAD
THESE TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS IN
THIS LEGISLATURE, AND I THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE
AS AN ALLY TO ADDRESS THESE
ISSUES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS
PANEL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE
WILL NOW TRANSITION TO PANEL
THREE. PANEL THREE WILL BE
JUDICIAL BRANCH OVERVIEW IN
VARIOUS TRAILER BILL PROPOSALS.
WE HAVE SHELLEY KIERAN
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR,
JUDICIAL COUNCIL. ZALA CODE
THERE DOOR. BACH DIRECTOR,
JUDICIAL COUNCIL BUDGET SERVICES
. TRACY KENNY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
JUDICIAL COUNCIL OFFICE OF
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS. HENRY NEG,
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ANITA
LEAD LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS
OFFICE. PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD
AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US HERE TODAY. I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON. UM
AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT
FOR THE JUDICIAL BRANCH, SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT MR CHAIR AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LACKEY. MY NAME
IS SHELLEY CURRAN ON THE
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
COURTS. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME,
I WILL BE BRIEF TO MAKE SURE
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU
ALL TO HEAR FROM THE JUDICIAL
OFFICERS WHO WERE HERE AS LONG
AS AS WELL AS THE STAFF. UH THE
CHIEF JUSTICE, THE JUDICIAL
COUNCIL AND THE COURTS SUPPORT
THE GOVERNOR'S JANUARY PROPOSAL,
AND WE RECOGNIZE THE VERY HARD,
TOUGH FISCAL TIMES THAT THE
STATE IS IN. ALONG WITH THE REST
OF STATE GOVERNMENT. WE
RECOGNIZE THAT THE JUDICIAL
BRANCH NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE
SOLUTION TO CLOSE ARE
ANTICIPATED STATEWIDE BUDGET
DEFICIT THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET
INCLUDES RETURNING UNSPENT
JUDICIAL BRANCH FUNDS AND
DIFFERING SOME FUNDING FOR
SEVERAL OF OUR CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS WHILE STILL PROTECTING
THE ESSENTIAL FUNDING FOR OUR
CORE CRITICAL PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES. WE APPRECIATE THAT THE
BUDGET CONTINUES TO PROTECT SOME
OF OUR CORE OPERATIONS,
INCLUDING THE PROPOSAL TO
ELIMINATE THE SUNSET FOR REMOTE
PROCEEDINGS, INCREASING TRIAL
COURT FUNDING BALANCE CAPS,
MAINTAINING BACKFILL FUNDING FOR
DECLINING FINES, FEES AND
PENALTY REVENUES AND PROVIDING
RESOURCES FOR SELF READ SELF
REPRESENTED LITIGANTS AND THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CARE ACT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU OVER THE COMING MONTHS ON
THESE BUDGET PROPOSALS, UM AND
PROMISED TO BE GOOD PARTNERS
THROUGH THAT ENTIRE PROCESS. UM
I'M NOW GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, MR ZLATKO
THEATER ORANGE TO GET INTO MORE
DETAIL ABOUT OUR PROPOSAL, ALONG
WITH THE OTHER PANELISTS WHO ARE
HERE TODAY, AND I'M ALSO HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
MIGHT HAVE AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US THANK YOU. UM SHELLEY.
MY NAME AGAIN IS LOCO THEODORE
VICH AND, UM, THE AGENDA DOES A
GREAT JOB OF REALLY GOING OVER
THE PROPOSAL PROPOSED BUDGET. UM
MISS LEE FROM THE L. A IS ALSO
TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE BUDGET
REDUCTIONS UM, AND SOLUTIONS
THAT WE HAVE HERE, SO I'M JUST
GOING TO MOVE TO THE NEXT TOPIC
AS IT RELATES TO THE FUND
BALANCE CAPITAL. INVITE THAT
DAVID YAMASAKI. THE COURT
EXECUTIVE OFFICER FROM THE
ORANGE SUPERIOR COURT TO PROVIDE
US SOME SOME CONTEXT FOR THIS
INCREASE. WE REALLY DO
APPRECIATE THE PROPOSAL IN THE
BUDGET TO INCREASE THE FUND
BALANCE CAP, BUT WE WANT, UM, MR
YAMASAKI TO GIVE YOU SOME REAL
LIFE EXPLANATIONS TO WHAT IT
MEANS TO HAVE THIS INCREASE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MR. CHAIR ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
LACKEY. DAVID YAMASAKI. I'M THE
IN ADDITION TO THE COURT
EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE SUPER
RECORD IN ORANGE. I'M ALSO THE
CHAIR OF THE COURT EXECUTIVES
ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE
JUDICIAL COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME THIS AFTERNOON. ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE'RE VERY, VERY
PLEASED TO SEE IS, UH, AN
INCREASE TO THE FUND BALANCE CAP
THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN YOUR
MATERIALS. WALL TO SOME, THE
INCREASE FROM 3 TO 5% MAYBE
MODEST FOR US IN THE JUDICIAL
BRANCH. IT IS EXTREMELY
MEANINGFUL. UM ONE OF THE
BIGGEST RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE
HAVE IN THE JUDICIAL BRANCH IS
TO PROVIDE ACCESS EFFICIENTLY
AND EFFECTIVELY AND THOSE MONIES
GO A LONG WAY TO HELP US TO
ENSURE THAT THERE ARE DOORS
REMAIN OPEN. BUT ALSO TO INVEST
IN TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AND
OTHER CAPITAL INVESTMENTS THAT
HELP US KEEP MAINTAINING
MODERNIZED JUDICIAL BRANCH. UM
MANY TIMES, UH SOME OF THE
EXPENSES THAT WE INCUR ARE VERY
SIGNIFICANT, AND IT REQUIRES US
TO SAVE MONIES OVER SEVERAL
YEARS BY INCREASING THAT AMOUNT
FROM 3% OF 5. IT CERTAINLY HELPS
US ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS MUCH
QUICKER. UM IN ADDITION TO THAT
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE COURTS
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM HAVE
NEW CONSTRUCTION AND COURTHOUSES
. THOSE MONEYS ARE VERY HELPFUL
AND ENSURING THAT THOSE
FACILITIES ARE ADEQUATELY. UM
AH! MAINTAINED ALSO FURNISHED,
WHICH ARE NOT ALWAYS INCLUDED IN
THE EXPENDITURES. THAT COMPANY,
UM COURT CONSTRUCTION. UH SO
SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT I'VE
IDENTIFIED OR ACTUALLY EXPENSES
THAT ARE PLANNED. UM IN ADDITION
TO THAT THERE ARE ISSUES THAT
COURTS FACE WITH ROUTINE.
UNFORTUNATELY THAT ARE UNPLANNED
. UM I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'VE
HAD AN INSTANCE IN ORANGE COUNTY
, WHERE A FLOOD AS A RESULT OF A
BROKEN WATER PIPE, SHUT DOWN
FIVE COURTROOMS AND CAUSED
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS. IN DAMAGE. WE CURRENTLY
ARE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES IN
ONE OF OUR OTHER JUSTICE CENTERS
WHERE THE HEAVY RAINS HAVE
FLOODED LOWER HOLDING AREAS,
MAKING THEM UNUSABLE FOR US TO
CONDUCT PROCEEDINGS. UH AND ALSO
, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, AN INCIDENT
THAT, UH WE ALSO FACE OUR CYBER
HACKS. UM WHICH COSTS? UH
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY IS
THESE ARE NOT PLANNED. AND WHILE
I LIKE TO THINK THAT THESE ARE
RARE AND FEW AND FAR BETWEEN
THOSE THREE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE
AFFECTED. THINGS THAT MANY OF US
THROUGHOUT THE STATE WILL
CONTINUE TO SEE THESE MONIES ARE
EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND HELPING US
KEEP OUR DOORS, DOORS OPEN AND
REMAINING AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE
ACCESS TO JUSTICE. SO I HOPE
THAT UH UM THOSE PROVIDE A
LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT INTO SOME
OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING AN
INCREASED FUND BALANCE CAP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
TRACY DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING NOW
WE'LL HAVE A TRACY KENNY COME
OUT AND TALK ABOUT THE REAL
REMOTE PROCEEDINGS. TRAILER BILL
LANGUAGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR CHAIR. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. TRACY KENNY WITH
THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL. I JUST
WANTED TO GIVE THE COMMITTEE
SOME BRIEF INFORMATION ON THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED TRAILER BILL
LANGUAGE TO REPEAL THE SUNSET
DATES ON THE REMOTE PROCEEDINGS,
PROVISIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
SET TO EXPIRE FOR BOTH CRIMINAL
AND CIVIL PROCEEDINGS. JUST WANT
TO NOTE FROM THE OUTSET THAT
COURTS WERE UTILIZING TELEPHONIC
REMOTE APPEARANCES FOR DECADES
BEFORE THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC.
BUT IN A PRETTY LIMITED FASHION
PANDEMIC EMERGENCY FORCE COURTS
TO EXPLORE NEW WAYS OF USING THE
EXISTING TECHNOLOGY TO ALLOW FOR
ACCESS TO THE COURT WITHOUT
ENDANGERING PUBLIC HEALTH, AND
THE COUNCIL PROVIDED TEMPORARY
AUTHORITY FOR SUCH PROCEEDINGS
BY THE ADOPTION OF EMERGENCY
RULES. HAPPILY THE LEGISLATURE
STEPPED IN TO PROVIDE STATUTORY
AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT THESE
PROCEEDINGS. FOR CIVIL REMOTE IN
2021 AND CRIMINAL REMOTE IN 2022
AND EXTENDED THE SUNSET DATES
FOR BOTH THOSE STATUTES AND
TRAILER BILL LEGISLATION LAST
YEAR. IN ADDITION, THE TRAILER
BILL LEGISLATION ENACTED LAST
YEAR. PROVIDED SPECIAL
PROTECTIONS FOR CERTAIN CIVIL
PROCEEDINGS THAT IMPACT LIBERTY
INTERESTS, NAMELY CIVIL
COMMITMENT AND JUVENILE JUSTICE
OR JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
PROCEEDINGS, WHERE THERE ARE
PARTICULAR DUE PROCESS CONCERNS.
TO ENSURE THAT LITIGANTS HAVE
THE ABILITY TO REQUIRE IN PERSON
TESTIMONY. WHEN THEY'RE THOSE
LIBERTY INTERESTS ARE AT ISSUE.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THIS
SUBCOMMITTEE THAT REMOTE
PROCEEDINGS ARE ALWAYS OPTIONAL,
AND A COURT CAN NEVER REQUIRE A
PERSON TO REPEAL REMOTELY. IN
CIVIL CASES, PARTIES HAVE THE
OPTION TO APPEAR REMOTELY, AND
THE COURT HAS THE OPTION TO
CONDUCT CIVIL PROCEEDINGS
THROUGH THE USE OF REMOTE
TECHNOLOGY. A DEFENDANT IN A
CRIMINAL CASE MAY ALSO OPT TO
APPEAR. THROUGH THE USE OF
REMOTE TECHNOLOGY WITH SPECIFIED
EXCEPTIONS, HOWEVER, REMOTE
WITNESS TESTIMONY IN CRIMINAL
CASES REQUIRES THE CONSENT OF
BOTH PARTIES, AND IT'S NEVER
ALLOWED IN FELONY TRIALS. THE
DATA THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED ON
REMOTE PROCEEDINGS SHOWS THAT
THIS IS AN OPTION THAT THE
PEOPLE REALLY WANT FROM MARCH
2022 THROUGH AUGUST 2023 NEARLY
2.2 MILLION CIVIL PROCEEDINGS
AND AN ESTIMATED 1.5 MILLION
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS OCCURRED
REMOTELY AND THAT WE ESTIMATE
THAT EACH BUSINESS DAY
APPROXIMATELY 10,000 REMOTE
PROCEEDINGS TAKE PLACE IN THE
COURTS. SAVING COURT USERS AT
LEAST 2.5 MILLION TRIPS TO THE
COURTHOUSE ANNUALLY, AND WE'VE
BEEN DOING USER EXPERIENCE
SURVEYS TO SEE IF PEOPLE ARE
HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE
TECHNOLOGY OR PEOPLE ARE
SATISFIED WITH THEIR EXPERIENCE.
AND IN THOSE SURVEYS, THE DATA
SHOWS THAT OVER 95% OF REMOTE
HEARING'S PARTICIPANTS REPORTED
A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH
REMOTE TECHNOLOGY AND GOING
FORWARD IN MARCH, THE JUDICIAL
COUNCIL THIS THIS MONTH WILL BE
APPROVING MINIMUM TECHNOLOGY
STANDARDS TO ENSURE THAT REMOTE
PROCEEDINGS ARE ROBUST. AND THAT
QUARTER BORDERS CAN ACCURATELY
PREPARE A VERBATIM RECORD. THE
JUDICIAL BRANCH HAS SEEN THE
MANY BENEFITS OF GIVING PEOPLE
THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE
REMOTELY IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL
PROCEEDINGS. AND WE JUST SAW
TODAY THE BENEFITS THAT REMOTE
PROCEEDINGS CAN ALLOW US. IN
MANY CIRCUMSTANCES. IN FACT,
THEY'RE VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR IN
JUVENILE DEPENDENCY PROCEEDINGS
FOR TRIBAL ENTITIES TO BE ABLE
TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY WHEN
INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT
PROCEEDING IS OCCURRING.
INVOLVING A CHILD. THAT'S A
MEMBER OF THAT TRIBE. BUT ALSO
ALLOWS PEOPLE TO NOT HAVE TO
MISS SCHOOL TO MISS WORK TO PAY
THE EXPENSES OF PARKING AND
TRAVEL TO THE COURTHOUSE. IT IS
A HUGE BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND STILL ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE
DUE PROCESS AND COLLABORATIVE
COURTS WHERE DEFENDANTS
TYPICALLY OR COMING TO COURT ON
A VERY REGULAR BASIS, THE BURDEN
OF THOSE REPEAT APPEARANCES AS
MUCH DIMINISHED WHEN THEY ARE
ABLE TO APPEAR REMOTELY, AND
THEN IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH
THEIR ABILITY TO GET MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES. DRUG TREATMENT
PARTICIPATE IN WORK, ETCETERA.
WE KNOW THE LEGISLATURE HAS
INVESTED $65 MILLION IN THE LAST
TWO BUDGET YEARS IN THE
TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE THAT THESE
PROCEEDINGS ARE EFFECTIVE. AND
PROVIDE YOU PROCESS AND WE THINK
IT'S CRITICAL TO ELIMINATE THE
SUNSET DATES AT THIS POINT SO
THAT THAT INVESTMENT IS SECURED
AND WE HAVE ONGOING AUTHORITY TO
CONDUCT THESE PROCEEDINGS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE? S LOCAL KNOW, AND
WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
TOPIC. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE
JUDGESHIPS SUDDENLY HAVE LEAH
ROSE GOODWIN AND. JUDGE ROGAN TO
COME AND SPEAK ON THOSE ISSUES
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THAT WOULD
SEE IF, UM IF SOME MEMBER
LACKING ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS
COMPONENT OF IT. MORE COMMENTS.
I MEAN, CLEARLY THAT THE REMOTE
PRESENTATION WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT HAS A REALLY LARGE IMPACT
ON THE AREA THAT I REPRESENT,
BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION IS QUITE
COSTLY. IT'S NOT ANY MORE
CONVENIENT, VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE
AND SOME OF THE DISTANCES THAT
MY RESIDENTS THAT I REPRESENT
ARE QUITE LARGE. TRIPLE DIGIT
MILEAGE EACH WAY. AND SO. I'M
THANKFUL TO SEE TO HEAR THAT
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE, UH,
EXTENDING THOSE SUNSET DATES
BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S A VERY
POWERFUL CIRCUMSTANCE AND ALSO
THE INCREASING THE RESERVE
LIMITS. OH, ENCOURAGES
EFFICIENCY. AND SO I'M VERY
HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE DOING
SOMETHING THAT'S VERY LOGICAL.
SOMETIMES WE DO THINGS THAT
AREN'T AS LOGICAL AS I WOULD
LIKE. BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A VERY
LOGICAL, ENCOURAGING PATHWAY TO
GET PEOPLE TO, UH. MANAGE THEIR
FUNDS AND IN A WAY THAT UNIQUELY
IMPACTS THEIR REGION. BECAUSE WE
HAVE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT
CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE RURAL
VERSUS THE SUBURBAN AND URBAN
ENVIRONMENTS AND THE COURTS
CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THEIR
COMMUNITIES. AND SO I'M I'M
THANKFUL THAT WE'RE GIVEN THAT
FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE IT JUST IS
VERY, VERY, VERY BENEFICIAL TO
TRUST. AH THE COURTS TO ACTUALLY
MANAGE THEIR THEIR FUNDS IN THAT
WAY, SO THESE ARE TWO VERY, VERY
HELPFUL THINGS THAT BECAUSE
OFTENTIMES I SEEMS LIKE MY
REMARKS ARE QUITE CRITICAL, BUT
THIS IS SOMETHING VERY, VERY
THANKFUL TO SEE IS HAPPENING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. SOME OF THEM
ARE LUCKY. I HAVE A FEW
QUESTIONS BEFORE I DO ANY
COMMENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE ANY COMMENTS FROM ELIO
NÓ. I JUST HAD TO GO THROUGH
THAT PART OF IT. SO ON, UH MISS
KENNY YOU MENTIONED, UM HMM. 2.2
MILLION FOR, UM CIVIL THAT
PARTAKE IN THE REMOTE. UM AREAS,
BUT THE CRIMINAL PART HOW MANY
WAS THAT AGAIN? ONE POINT
5,000,001 0.5, SO WE DO KNOW
THAT THAT IT'S BENEFITING. WE
KNOW THAT THAT THE COURTS AND
THERE HAD IT'S OPTIONAL THAT
PEOPLE HAVE TO, UM, SIGN THESE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAIVERS TO BE
ABLE TO DO THAT. BUT YOU ALSO
TALKED ABOUT, UM 95% RIGHT, UM,
THAT WERE THOSE THAT WERE HAPPY
WITH IT. BUT WE ALSO TALKED
ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
CHALLENGES TO THE REMOTE
CAPABILITIES. THE CONNECTIVITY.
CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT
MORE ON THAT. AND UM, HOW YOU
RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES? SURE.
ABSOLUTELY. SO. YOU KNOW, AS
WITH ALL THINGS, NOTHING IS
PERFECT. WE'VE ALL PARTICIPATED
IN REMOTE PROCEEDINGS. ISSUES
CAN COME UP. THE LEGISLATION IS
CLEAR THAT IF THOSE ISSUES COME
UP, AND THEY CAN'T BE RESOLVED
IN THE COURT CONTINUES THE
PROCEEDING AND THEY BRING THE
PARTIES INTO THE COURT. AND THIS
IS NOT THAT DIFFERENT FROM IF
THERE'S A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON
THE FREEWAY, AND A PARTY CAN'T
GET TO COURT IN PERSON, AND THEN
THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE THE
HEARING UNTIL THEY ARE ABLE TO
APPEAR IN PERSON. I MEAN, IT
REALLY BUT WE CAN SEE FROM THIS
DATA THAT THIS IS NOT HAPPENING
ON A REGULAR BASIS. THAT REALLY
IS MORE THE EXCEPTION THAN THE
RULE, BUT THE COURT ABSOLUTELY
WILL CONTINUE THE PROCEEDING TO
ALLOW THE PARTIES TO COME TO
COURT IF THEY'RE THE TECHNOLOGY
AND THERE AND SIMPLY ISN'T GOOD
ENOUGH FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE
HEARD BY THE COURT AND THE OTHER
PARTIES THERE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR THAT, AND WE DO KNOW
THAT THE REMOTE CAPABILITIES
COMING FROM SAN MARTINO COUNTY.
WE KNOW THAT THOSE ARE AREAS
THAT DRASTICALLY SUPPORTED THOSE
AREAS. I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LACKEY. WE
SHARED PART OF THE COUNTY AND
WORK TOGETHER ON DIFFERENT AREAS
, SO WE KNOW THAT IN THE REMOTE
PARTS OF AREAS THAT THE REMOTE
CAPABILITIES IS SOMETHING THAT'S
BENEFICIAL. BUT WE ALSO KNOW
THAT WHEN WE START TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH TECHNOLOGY THAT
THERE IS AN IMPACT ON THE
DIFFERENT LABOR POOL, THAT'S
THERE. CAN YOU ELABORATE A
LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT AND HOW
THAT'S BEING AFFECTED OR OR NOT?
SURE I MEAN, THERE'S NO ALL OF
THE SAME PARTIES ARE
PARTICIPATING IN THE COURTROOM
AS THEY WERE WENT WITH, YOU
KNOW, IN PERSON PROCEEDINGS. I
THINK THAT THERE IS THERE CAN BE
CHALLENGES WITH BEING ABLE TO
KEEP A VERBATIM RECORD. WHEN YOU
HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO ARE, YOU
KNOW, APPEARING BY VIDEO AND
SOME FOLKS IN THE COURTROOM, AND
THAT'S WHY YOU KNOW, WORKING
WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS. WE
NEGOTIATED LANGUAGE LAST YEAR TO
REQUIRE THE CREATION OF MINIMUM
TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS IN THE
COURTROOM TO ENSURE THAT THE
COURT REPORTER IS ABLE TO HEAR
AND SEE AND BE ABLE TO KEEP AN
ACCURATE VERBATIM RECORD AND
THAT THOSE WHO WILL BE GOING TO
THE COUNCIL THIS MONTH AND
BECOME EFFECTIVE IN APRIL, SO WE
REALLY WORKED AT A ACCOMPLISH
THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH WITH OVER 3 MILLION PEOPLE
PARTAKING IN THE REMOTE. COURT
AND PROCEEDINGS THAT ARE GOING
ON. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT
AND AS FAR AS THE 95% SUCCESS
RATE, UM I THINK IT'S AREAS THAT
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE AN
OPEN DIALOGUE ON THANK YOU SO
MUCH AS WE MOVE TO VERIFY MIGHT
JUST TO CLARIFY, UM REMEMBER
LACKING MENTIONED? UM YES. THANK
YOU THAT THE LANGUAGE WAS TO
EXTEND THE SUNSET. THESE ARE IS
ELIMINATION OF THE SUNSET EVEN
BETTER. AND THEN, SECONDLY,
REGARDING THE FUND BALANCE CAP
MENTIONED, UM SMALL RURAL
COUNTIES THAT THE CAP HAS ALSO
BEEN RAISED TO THE SMALLEST
COURTS TO A MINIMUM OF $100,000.
WAS SHE USED TO BE A MUCH
SMALLER AMOUNT FOR THEM, AND SO
THIS IS REALLY HELPING THEM, UM,
WITH THE SIGNIFICANT COST THAT
THEY MAY INCUR WITH RELATIVELY
SMALL BUDGETS, AND SO WE'RE
REALLY MANAGING NOT ONLY THE
LARGE COURTS, BUT THE SMALL
COURTS AS WELL. HAPPY TO HEAR
THAT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
DIALOGUE ON ISSUE. THREE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO
ISSUE FOR JUDGESHIPS WE HAVE
LEAH ROSE GOODWIN, CHIEF DEPUTY
AND A LEADING ANALYTICS OFFICER,
JUDICIAL COUNCIL BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT SERVICES. WE HAVE
PRESIDING JUDGE LISA M. ROGAN,
SAMMARTINO COUNTY EMMA JON
WORTH. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
HENRY NÂNG DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
AND ANITA LEE LEGISLATIVE
OFFICE. GO AHEAD, MISS GOODWIN.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, LEO
ROSE GOODWIN, JUDICIAL COUNCIL'S
CHIEF DATA AND ANALYTICS
OFFICER. SO DO THE GOVERNMENT
CODE SECTION. 69614 C REQUIRES
THAT THE COUNCIL REPORT BY AN
EARLY ON THE NEED FOR NEW
JUDGESHIPS. WE USE A WORKLOAD
MODEL THAT USES A THREE YEAR
AVERAGE OF FILINGS AND WAITS
THAT ASSESS THE WORKLOAD
REQUIRED TO PROCESS CASES OF
DIFFERENT TYPES. TO DETERMINE
WORKLOAD NEED IN THE BRANCH. WE
MEASURE THAT WORKLOAD FROM
INITIAL FILING OF THE CASE
THROUGH DISPOSITION AND
INCLUDING ANY POST DISPOSITION
ACTIVITY, THE MOST RECENT
JUDICIAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT WAS
PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER 2022 AND
SHOWS THAT 17 COURTS NEED 98
JUDGESHIPS, THE FULL LIST OF
COURTS AND THEIR PERCENTAGE NEED
OVER AUTHORIZED POSITIONS IS
SHOWN ON PAGE 10 OF YOUR
MATERIALS. SIX COURTS SAN
BERNARDINO TO HAMA, RIVERSIDE,
KERN, KINGS AND MADEIRA ARE
OPERATING WITH A RESOURCE
DEFICIT GREATER THAN 20. WITH
ONE COURT SAN BERNARDINO AT 30.
THE BRANCH UTILIZES
PRIORITIZATION METHODOLOGY TO
DETERMINE THE PRIORITY ORDER TO
ALLOCATE ANY NEW JUDGESHIPS. AND
THAT METHODOLOGY TAKES INTO
ACCOUNT ACCORDS ABSOLUTE NEED,
AND IT'S NEED RELATIVE TO OTHER
COURTS. IT'S ALSO DESIGNED TO
ENSURE THAT SMALL COURTS ARE
ALSO ABLE TO QUALIFY TO GET A
NEW JUDGESHIP. THE BRANCHES.
PRIORITIZATION METHODOLOGY WAS
USED TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO
ALLOCATE THE 23 JUDGESHIPS THAT
HAVE BEEN PROPOSED IN THE ROTH
BILL. SB 75, AND THERE'S A TABLE
ON PAGE NINE OF YOUR MATERIALS
THAT SHOWS THE RESULTS OF THAT
PRIORITIZATION. AND VERY QUICKLY
IN TERMS OF FUTURE BRANCH
ACTIVITIES CONCERNING JUDICIAL
WORKLOAD. WE WILL PUBLISH THE
NEXT JUDICIAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT
IN NOVEMBER OF 2024. WE ARE ALSO
UPDATING THE UNDERLYING MODEL
THAT'S USED TO MEASURE JUDGESHIP
NEED. THE LAST TIME THAT STUDY
WAS UPDATED WAS 2018 AND WE HAD
A LITTLE DELAY BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC. WE COULDN'T UPDATE THE
STUDY DURING THAT TIME. REGULAR
MODEL UPDATES, HELP ENSURE THAT
THE BRANCH CAPTURES CHANGES IN
THE LAW TECHNOLOGY IN CASE
PROCESSING PRACTICES, AND FOR
THAT FOR THE NEXT JUDGE STUDY.
WE ARE PARTICULARLY UNDER
INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING HOW
CHANGES IN THE LAW ARE IMPACTING
POST IS POST DISPOSITION,
WORKLOAD OF JUDICIAL OFFICERS.
AND NOW JUDGE ROGAN WILL TALK
ABOUT SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MY
NAME IS LISA ROGAN. I AM THE
PRESIDING JUDGE OF SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY. I WOULD LIKE
TO FIRST THANK YOU FOR INVITING
ME TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE. A
VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE TO OUR
COUNTY AND I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE
YOU. CHAIR RAMOS AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LACKEY WHO HAVE
TAKEN TIME OUT OF YOUR DAYS TO
COME AND VISIT OUR COURTS AT THE
INVITATION OF THE COURT TO SEE
FIRSTHAND WHAT THESE DEFICITS
MEAN TO US. UH FIRST AND
FOREMOST, WHAT IT MEANS IS
ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND A
DIFFERENCE OF THAT ACCESS IN SAN
BERNARDINO, AS OPPOSED TO
EVERYWHERE ELSE IN CALIFORNIA.
I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH SOME
NUMBERS TO PROVIDE TO YOU AND
SHOW YOU HOW THE DEFICIT IN
JUDICIAL POSITIONS AFFECT THE
CONSTITUENTS IN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY. IN CIVIL OUR JUDGE.
HANDLES AND AVERAGE OF 8 1880
CASES. UP TO 2200 CASES. OTHER
COURTS MAY HAVE HALF THAT. WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS 100 AND
20 DAYS TO HEAR EMOTION. IT
MEANS AN AVERAGE OF 13 MONTHS TO
DISPOSITION OF A CASE. IN FAMILY
LAW. WE HAVE 8000 ACTIVE CASES.
THAT MEANS 420 CASES AS AN
AVERAGE PER JUDGE. WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS 90 DAYS
BEFORE THAT FAMILY GETS IN FRONT
OF A JUDGE. THAT CHILD GETS IN
FRONT OF A JUDGE. TO DETERMINE
WHETHER THAT CHILD IS GOING TO
BE WITH ONE PARENT OR ANOTHER TO
DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S
GOING TO BE CHILD SUPPORT
PROVIDED OR NOT. TO DETERMINE A
HOST OF FAMILIAL ISSUES THAT
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS CAN
BE VERY HARD. IF NOT
INFLAMMATORY. IN VIOLENT. WE
TALKED ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
RESTRAINING ORDERS. THOSE CASES
ARE IMPORTANT. LET'S MOVE ON TO
DEPENDENCY. 5609. CASES THAT IS
1402 CASES PER JUDGE. WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS AN AVERAGE
OF 6.5 WEEKS. BEFORE A KID FINDS
OUT IN MY STAYING IN FOSTER
CARE. OR AM I GOING TO GO BACK
TO MY PARENT? WHEN WE THINK BACK
TO OUR CHILDHOOD, AND WE THINK
OF OUR SUMMER VACATIONS, THEY
SEEMED FOREVER AT THAT TIME. 6.5
WEEKS IS AN ENTIRE SUMMER
VACATION FOR ONE CHILD TO KNOW.
AM I GOING BACK HOME? OR AM I
GOING TO STAY IN FOSTER CARE?
HOW DOES THAT LOOK FOR THE
LITIGANTS? HOW DOES SAN
BERNARDINO HANDLE TWICE OR THREE
QUARTERS OF CASES MORE THAN
OTHER COUNTIES? DO THEY HANDLE
THEM MORE QUICKLY. DO THEY MAKE
JUDGMENTS? MORE QUICKLY MORE.
RASHLY. DO THEY ARE THEY ABLE TO
HEAR THE CASE IS THOROUGHLY DO
OUR LITIGANTS WALK OUT OF OUR
COURTROOMS. AND HAVE A FULL AND
COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
JUST OCCURRED, MANY OF THEM
UNREPRESENTED. OUR JUDGES HAVE
TO. I'M NOT POINTING FINGERS.
BUT IN ORDER TO HANDLE THAT CASE
LOAD, YOU HAVE TO DO THINGS
DIFFERENTLY. JUSTICE LOOKS
DIFFERENT IN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY, THEN IT LOOKS ANYWHERE
ELSE IN THIS STATE. OUR
NEIGHBORING COUNTIES. I CAN'T
BELIEVE THE NUMBERS. SOME OF
THEM. WONDER HOW THAT HAPPENS.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE THOSE CASES IN
THAT AMOUNT. WELL. WE DO THINGS
DIFFERENTLY. WE DO OUTSIDE COURT
WHERE I CAN LOAD UP 200 CASES IN
ONE CALENDAR FOR A JUDGE TO HEAR
IN THE MORNING. BEFORE GOING
INSIDE AND HANDLING ANOTHER 80
TO 90. WHY DO I DO THAT? BECAUSE
IT ALLOWS ME TO LOAD UP 200
CONSTITUENTS OUTSIDE OUR
COURTHOUSES WITHOUT ENTERING THE
COURTHOUSE. IT ALLOWS THAT JUDGE
TO CUT THROUGH THOSE CASES IN A
TIME FRAME THAT IS MUCH QUICKER.
IT ALLOWS US TO HANDLE THE LOAD
THAT WERE REQUIRED TO HANDLE WE
WOULD LOVE FOR JUSTICE TO LOOK
THE SAME IN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY AS IT LOOKS IN OTHER
PLACES. OUR JUDGES ARE FANTASTIC
. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN
SAN BERNARDINO, YOU HAVE A
FANTASTIC BENCH. WHO DO A LOT OF
THINGS THEY STRETCH A LOT OF
MILES. ONE OTHER THING THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT HERE TODAY AND THAT
YOU'VE MENTIONED AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LACKEY. I
APPRECIATE YOUR AWARENESS OF THE
ABILITY TO REMOTE TECHNOLOGY IN
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY. WITHOUT
REMOTE TECHNOLOGY IN SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY. IT'S NOT
WHETHER OR NOT THEY GO TO COURT.
IT'S IF THEY GET THERE THREE
HOURS. A TURNAROUND IS DRIVING
FROM HERE TO SAN DIEGO. AND IF
ANY OF YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT
DRIVE IN YOUR CAR THAT MIGHT BE
COMFORTABLE, BUT OUR
CONSTITUENTS OFTEN DON'T HAVE
TRANSPORTATION, AND THE
TRANSPORTATION THEY DO HAVE IS
SIMPLY NOT THAT RELIABLE. THE
TRANSPORTATION FOR PUBLIC USE.
YOU HAVE TO LEAVE CALIFORNIA IN
NEEDLES TO RETURN BACK TO
CALIFORNIA TO GET TO THE NEXT
CLOSEST COURTHOUSE. REMOTE
TECHNOLOGY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
WE I BELIEVE IS A BENEFIT. IT IS
A NEST A NECESSITY IN ORDER FOR
OUR CONSTITUENTS TO BE HEARD TO
HAVE ACCESS TO JUSTICE. I
RECENTLY WENT TO ONE OF OUR
JUVENILE COURTS AND ASKED, HOW
IS THE TECHNOLOGY? I'M HEARING
THAT THERE ARE COMPLAINTS THAT
IT DOESN'T WORK AS WELL. AND THE
JUDGE THAT WAS HANDLING THE
DEPENDENCY CASES SAID IF YOU
TAKE AWAY REMOTE TECHNOLOGY.
YOU'RE KILLING THE ABILITY OF US
TO HANDLE THE CASE LOAD THAT WE
MUST HANDLE BECAUSE WE HAVE A
SHORTAGE OF JUSTICES OF JUDGES.
THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
INTERRUPTIONS IN TECHNOLOGY,
THOSE WE HAVE INTERRUPTIONS IN
COURT. EVERY DAY. WE HAVE
INTERRUPTIONS FROM LITIGANTS
FROM DEFENDANTS FROM CHILDREN
WHO PERHAPS ARE NOT ON THEIR
BEST DAY. THOSE INTERRUPTIONS
ARE HANDLED BY THE JUDICIAL
OFFICER AND BY COURT STAFF JUST
AS THOSE SAME INTERRUPTIONS MAY
BE HANDLED IN A REMOTE
TECHNOLOGY TYPE OF WORLD, SO
THOSE ARE NOT UNBEARABLE OR
UNDOABLE. WE WELCOME THOSE TYPES
OF INTERRUPTIONS. WE WELCOME
THAT BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO
HANDLE THE CASE LOAD. THAT WE
MUST HANDLE. YOU KNOW, THERE IS
A STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FOR 2023.
AND OUT OF 873 OCCUPATIONS.
BEING A JUDGE IS THE FOURTH
STRESSFUL OCCUPATION. IMAGINE
BEING A JUDGE. HANDLING THE
CASELOADS IN SAN BERNARDINO.
WHEN YOU'RE 30 JUDGES DOWN AND
YOUR CASELOADS AND YOUR STAFF.
IF YOU WANT TO HELP STAFF AND
YOU WANT TO, AND YOU TALK ABOUT
THE WORKLOAD THAT THEY'RE HAVING
TO TAKE ON. THEY TOO ARE TAKING
ON THOSE DOUBLE CASELOADS JUST
AS THE JUDICIAL OFFICER BEHIND
EVERY GREAT JUDICIAL OFFICER IS
AN EVEN GREATER JUDICIAL STAFF.
SO WE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE CARE OF
OUR STAFF. BUT THAT MEANS
INCREASING THE JUDICIAL. UH,
OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE ON TO
DECREASE THE CASELOADS TO ALLOW
SAN BERNARDINO TO DELIVER
JUSTICE. THE WAY OTHER COUNTIES
ARE ABLE TO DELIVER JUSTICE IN
THIS GREAT STATE. WHEN YOU'RE
UNDERSTAFFED, SOMETHING HAS TO
GIVE I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT OUR
CONSTITUENTS ARE SERVED AS WELL
AS OTHERS. THEY ARE NOT. I CAN'T
TELL YOU THAT THEY UNDERSTAND
THE PROCEEDINGS AS WELL AS IN
OTHER COURTS. THEY DO NOT. I
CAN'T TELL YOU THAT JUSTICE
DELAYED IS NOT JUSTICE DENIED.
IT IS. WHAT I CAN SAY. IS THAT
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REPRESENT
SAN BERNARDINO? YOU HAVE AN
AMAZING BENCH. A COURT THAT
SERVES YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL
AS THEY CAN GIVEN THE RESOURCES.
I ASK THAT YOU LET THEM DO MORE.
JUSTICE AND SAN BERNARDINO
SHOULDN'T LOOK DIFFERENT. THAN
ANYWHERE ELSE AND EVERYWHERE
ELSE IN CALIFORNIA. AND I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
ANYONE MAY HAVE THANK YOU SO
MUCH. PRESIDING JUDGE. ANY
COMMENTS FROM DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. COMMENTS FROM ELIO.
COMMENTS FROM THE DIOCESE. OF
COURSE. I AM. ALMOST SPEECHLESS.
UM THESE ARE VERY STARK. NUMBERS
THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
ALMOST HALF OF THE NEEDED
JUDGESHIPS. THAT ARE REPRESENTED
HERE. 40 OF THE 98.
REPRESENTATIVE MY DISTRICT
ALONE. SO THIS IS THIS
DISCREPANCY? WE TALK A LOT OF
THIS INSTITUTION ABOUT EQUITY.
AND ABOUT ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND
HOW SUCH A PRIORITY THAT THAT
NEEDS TO PLAY. THIS IS CLEARLY.
AN UNFAIR SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
THAT IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE. WHAT
WE'RE DOING TO THESE, UH
RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THIS PART
OF OUR STATE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW
THE TERM. OTHER THAN UNFAIR. AND
I'M JUSTIFIABLE. THE PRESSURE
THAT WE PUT ON JUDGES. AND ALL
ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE JUDICIAL
SYSTEM. IT'S CLEARLY IN ORDER
INORDINATELY UGLY. FIRST EMBER,
DINO COUNTY. AND. HOW WE
RATIONALIZE THAT. I DON'T HAVE
AN ANSWER TO THAT. BUT MAYBE
THIS INSTITUTION SHOULD AND
EVERYBODY THAT AS A PARTNER. IN
THIS LEGISLATURE. BEAR SOME OF
THAT BURDEN. OF MAKING THIS MORE
FAIR, THE LEGISLATURE HAS THE
AUTHORITY TO MOVE VACANT
JUDGESHIPS. WE LOOK AT L. A
COUNTY EXCESS JUDGESHIPS. BY
WHAT NUMBER? NUMBER I'M LOOKING
AT THE 73. EXCESS JUDGES AND I
HEAR THAT I READ AND HEAR THAT
THEY TALK ABOUT WAITED, CASELOAD
ASSESSMENT, AND WE HEARD A
PRESENTATION EARLIER. WOW. I
DON'T KNOW HOW THEY BALANCED
THAT. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW HOW
THEY FEEL JUSTIFIED AND HAVING
THAT MANY EXCESS JUDGESHIPS AND
THEY STILL HAVE VACANCIES. THEY
DON'T FEEL THOSE NAKED SEES
EITHER. THIS IS JUST A LOT OF
CONFUSING. CIRCUMSTANCES THAT I
WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN
EXPLANATION. BUT I'M I'M LOOKING
AT THE PEOPLE THAT NOT ONLY DO
NOT HAVE AN EXPLANATION, BUT
THEY'RE THE VICTIMS. ESPECIALLY
JUDGE ROGAN. SO MY REMARKS ARE
OUT OF JUST PURE FRUSTRATION.
THERE IS NO OTHER TERM THAT THAT
I CAN CRAFT OTHER THAN TO SAY
THE WE HAVE GOT TO DO BETTER
THAN THIS. DEFICIT, NO DEFICIT.
TO ACTUALLY DENY PEOPLE JUSTICE
IS SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNTRY
MUCH LESS OUR STATE. VALUES. AT
LEAST WE SAY WE DO. BUT THIS
EVIDENCE INDICATES. WE REALLY
DON'T IT'S SITUATIONAL. AND
THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO
RECTIFY. AND SO I WILL DO
EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO DO
THAT. BUT WE NEED COOPERATIVE
PARTNERS. AND I THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS STARK UNFAIRNESS
TO OUR ATTENTION. AND I HOPE TO
HEAVEN THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING.
MORE RESPONSIBLE THAN WHAT WE'VE
BEEN DOING IN THE PAST. TO TRY
TO BALANCE THIS LEVEL OF JUSTICE
BECAUSE THIS IS CLEARLY
SOMETHING THAT NEEDS IT SHOULD
BE A PRIORITY. UM AND THIS IS
NOT A NEW PROBLEM, BY THE WAY.
THIS DIDN'T JUST EMERGED BECAUSE
OF THE DEFICIT. THIS ISN'T JUST
EMERGE OVER THE RECENT PAST
BECAUSE OF COVID OR SOME OTHER
EXCUSE. THIS IS LONG LASTING.
AND SHAME ON US IF WE LET IT
LINGER. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S UM
TO MR GOODWIN WE'VE SEEN WE'RE
SAMMARTINO IS AT 30% AND TO, UM
BRING UP EVEN MORE ALONG. A
LONGSTANDING NEED IN SAN MARTINO
COUNTY INLAND EMPIRE. UM CAN YOU
ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON
THAT THAT THE NEED ISN'T JUST
NOW AT THE 30% THAT IT'S BEEN A
LONG STANDING NEED. SURE WELL,
YOU KNOW THAT IT IS TRUE. IT'S A
LONGSTANDING NEED. THE INLAND
EMPIRE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY
HAVE JUST HAD MUCH GREATER
POPULATION GROWTH. OVERALL
COMPARED TO THE COASTAL COUNTIES
. AND SO THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT,
UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OUR MODEL
IS BASED ON FILINGS, THE NUMBER
OF FILINGS HAVE GONE UP AS THE
POPULATION HAS INCREASED IN
THESE COUNTIES, SO THE NEED HAS
CONTINUED TO GROW AND GROWN AT A
PACE BEYOND THAT OF THE REST OF
THE STATE AS A WHOLE. AND THAT,
COUPLED WITH PERIODIC AND NOT.
CONSISTENT INVESTMENT IN NEW
JUDGESHIPS OVER TIME. HAS GOTTEN
US TO THIS SITUATION. I KNOW
WHEN I WAS ON THE COUNTY BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS DECEMBER COUNTY,
WE WORKED ON EQUITY RATIO, UM,
WORE THE DIFFERENT JUDICIAL
SYSTEM THERE IN SAN MARINO
COUNTY. WE WORKED ON OTHER, UM,
CAPACITIES TO THEN WITH THEN
PRESIDING JUDGE. UM BUT HOW LONG
ARE VACANCIES POSTED BEFORE WE
GET SOMEONE THAT COULD ACTUALLY
FEEL THOSE? VACANT JUDGESHIPS.
YEAH. SO QUICKLY. THEY'RE FILLED
BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICES IN
INVOLVED IN IN FILLING JUDICIAL
VACANCIES, SO IT'S NOT A NOT NOT
ANYTHING WITHIN THE PURVIEW AND
AN ABILITY FOR US TO CHANGE IN
THE JUDICIAL BRANCH. SO WHEN WE
HAVE A VACANCY, THE
ADMINISTRATION EVERYBODY LOOKS
AT IT. HOW LONG BEFORE THAT GETS
APPOINTED TO? UM IF THERE IS AN
APPOINTMENT? I KNOW THERE'S
ELECTION PROCESS. THOSE TYPES OF
THINGS CAN GO AND WORK WITH WITH
WITH FOLKS AND SEE WHAT
INFORMATION WE HAVE IN TERMS OF
AND THE DURATION OF THE
VACANCIES, OKAY? AND I DO KNOW
THAT. YOU KNOW FIRSTHAND, UM,
SEEING THE COURT OUTSIDE COURT
GETTING, UH, AREAS TO WHERE
WE'RE BRINGING THAT JUSTICE IN
DECEMBER. DINO COUNTY. WE'VE
SEEN IT WORK. WE'VE SEEN THAT
IT'S THERE BEING CREATIVE, SO WE
KNOW THAT THE JUDGESHIP IN SAN
MARINO COUNTY IS THINKING
OUTSIDE THE BOX TO DELIVERING
JUDICIAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS TO
THOSE IN SAN MARINO COUNTY. UM,
WE ALSO KNOW THAT OF THE CASES
THAT ARE THERE. THAT. THE
STATEMENT WAS SAID THAT JUSTICE
LOOKS DIFFERENT DECEMBER COUNTY
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
THIS. THE COMMITTEE IS TAKING
BACK WITH THEM. THAT IS JUSTICE
DIFFERENT IN SAN BENITO COUNTY
THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE FURTHER UP DIALOGUE ON THAT
TO FIND OUT THE CASELOAD. THOSE
TYPES OF THINGS, UM TO MAKE SURE
THAT JUSTICE IS EQUAL TO
EVERYONE HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WE DO KNOW THAT THAT
THERE IS PARAMETERS. THERE'S
CONSTRAINTS THAT GO ALONG WITH
IT. BUT WE THINK THAT BRINGING
TRANSPARENCY TO THE ISSUE, UM,
OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THOSE
AREAS AND HOW JUDGES ARE BEING
CREATIVE, HOW THEY'RE RISING TO
THE LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY'RE PROVIDING THAT JUSTICE
IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE
HONORED. NEEDS TO BE SPELLED OUT
HERE. UM WITHIN THIS, THIS
HEARING HERE TODAY TO SAY THANK
YOU FOR THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
AND BRINGING JUSTICE DECEMBER
RENO COUNTY. RESIDENTS WE ALSO
KNOW THAT REMOTE UM OKAY
CAPABILITIES IS SOMETHING THAT'S
DRASTICALLY NEEDED AND THE
LARGEST COUNTY IN THE UNITED
STATES, WHERE YOU DO HAVE TO
TRAVEL FROM NEEDLES DOWN INTO
SAN MARTINO, OR EVEN IN THE
VICTORVILLE TAKES SOME TIME.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. RESTRAINING
ORDERS IS SOMETHING THAT WE
WORKED ON WHEN I WAS ON THE
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS
SOMETHING THAT COULD BE HANDLED
REMOTELY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THESE ISSUES
FORWARD, BUT ALSO WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT SAN MARINO COUNTY
IS AT THE 30% LEVEL. EVEN IN
THIS DIAGRAM HERE TODAY, AND I
ADVENTURE TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT
THE FIRST TIME THAT SAMUDIO
COUNTY IS AT THE TOP OF THIS
DIAGRAM. SORT OF. THANK YOU, UM,
FOR YOUR PRESENTATION HERE AS WE
TRANSITION TO THE NEXT ISSUE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT
STOP ISSUE IS ISSUE FIVE SELF
HELP CENTERS WE HAVE, UM THAT'S
LOCO TODOROVIC. PERFECT. DONE
WELL. DEPUTY DIRECTOR JUDICIAL
COUNCIL CENTER FOR FAMILIES AND
CHILDREN IN THE COURT. PRESIDING
JUDGE MARIA HERNANDEZ. SO. I
NEED A NEEDLE, LEE, LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE AND HENRY
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. GO AHEAD.
YES, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM YES
. SO THE AGENDA DOES A GREAT JOB
OF REALLY CAPTURING THE HISTORY?
UM WE JUST KNOW THIS IS A
PRIORITY FOR US AND THE ABSENT
THE APPROVAL OF THIS INCREASE
WILL BE REVERTING BACK TO A
PROGRAM. THAT'S ONE THIRD THE
SIZE THAT IT IS RIGHT NOW WITH
THIS AUGMENTATION. AND I'LL TURN
IT OVER TO MR WILL TO GO OVER A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND
THEN WE'LL HAVE JUDGE HERNANDEZ
TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO
COURT OPERATIONS TO HAVE THESE
RESOURCES IN THE SOUTH HELP
CENTERS AND HOW THEY HELP COURT
PROCESSING. THANKS LECCO. MY
NAME IS DON WILL AT THE JUDICIAL
COUNCIL. AS LIKE CO SAYS THE
THIS 19.1 MILLION WAS PROVIDED
IN THE BUDGET IN 2018, AND THAT
PAST SIX YEARS IT'S BECOME A
CORE PART OF THE COURTS
OPERATING BUDGET AND REPRESENTS
ABOUT 60% OF COURT FUNDING FOR
SELF HELP CENTERS. UM ALL TRIAL
COURTS HAVE A SELF HELP CENTER.
THE EXPANSION FUNDING WE
RECEIVED IN 2018 ENABLED COURTS
TOO. TOOL UP TO BE ABLE TO SERVE
UP TO A MILLION CUSTOMERS
ANNUALLY. OTHER ACTIVITIES AND
ACHIEVEMENTS THROUGH THAT
EXPANSION INCLUDED A LARGE
INCREASE IN BILINGUAL SELF HELP
STAFF. AND EXPANSION IN THE CASE
TYPES NOT FORMERLY SERVED,
INCLUDING EVICTION AND CONSUMER
DEBT. THIS EXPANSION WAS
REPORTED TO THE LEGISLATURE,
AND, UH LEGISLATIVE REPORT A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WHICH WAS
THEN FOLLOWED BY A LEGISLATIVE
REPORT DOCUMENTING THE COST
BENEFIT SAVINGS TO COURTS.
THROUGH SELF HELP CENTERS. UM.
SELF REPRESENTED LITIGANTS. UH
IN OUR STUDY. WE SHOW THAT THEY
SAVE A SELF HELP. SORRY SOPHIE
REPRESENTED LITIGANTS SERVED BY
ITSELF. HELP CENTER SAVES ABOUT
$100 ON THEIR CASE AND AVOIDED
COSTS OF TRANSPORTATION OF LOST
WORK AND IN GENERAL THE CAR
SAVINGS TO THE COURTS AND TO THE
LITIGANTS IS ABOUT 3 TO $4 SAVED
IN KARST AVOIDED TO EVERY DOLLAR
SPENT. I'M GOING NOW TO TURN
THIS OVER TO JUDGE HERNANDEZ.
THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIR. RAMOS AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER
LACKEY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING
ME TO BE HERE. EXCUSE ME. I'M
MARIA HERNANDEZ ON THE PRESIDING
JUDGE IN ORANGE COUNTY. BUT I
ALSO SERVE AS OUR TRIAL COURT
PRESIDING JUDGE CHAIR SO I'D
LIKE TO BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF
THE ENTIRE STATE WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT THE NEED FOR SELF HELP
CENTERS AND WHAT THAT TRULY
MEANS. YOU KNOW, BOTH OF YOU
HAVE SO ELOQUENTLY TALKED ABOUT
THE UNDERSERVED THE VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN BOTH
OF YOUR DISTRICT. SPECIFICALLY
I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON MY
DEAR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE. JUDGE
ROGAN. JUSTICE DENIED OR JUSTICE
DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED AND
QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN IT'S DENIED
AS SOME OF THE ISSUES YOU HEARD
IN SAN BERNARDINO, WE RELY
HEAVILY ON OUR SELF HELP CENTERS
TO BE ABLE TO REACH AS YOU'VE
HEARD FROM MR WILL OVER A
MILLION SELF REPRESENTED
LITIGANTS IN THE OUT YEARS ARE
PROJECTED TO BE FAR MORE THAN A
MILLION AND I WOULD SUBMIT TO
YOU AS MEMBERS THAT THAT DOESN'T
EVEN CONSIDER THE RIPPLE EFFECT
OF ALL OF THE OTHER FAMILY
MEMBERS THAT ARE SERVED WHEN
WE'RE TALKING IN DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE CASES IN EVICTION
PROCESSES AND THE PEOPLE THAT
WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SERVE
IN TOUCH IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.
THOSE ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS. AND WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO FUND
THOSE PARTICULAR FOLKS BECAUSE
THEY CAN'T GET INTO A COURTROOM
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO
FILLED OUT THE FORMS THAT THEY
DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITIES OR
LEGAL SERVICES BECAUSE OF THEIR
POVERTY LEVEL. THIS JUST
ACCUMULATES INTO A COMPLETE
DENIAL OF JUSTICE. AND WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT JUSTICE, LOOKING
DIFFERENT IN EVERY COUNTY, SHAME
ON US THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
AND SO FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
JUDGE ROGAN KIND OF COINED THIS,
THOSE THOSE ARE FIRST RESPONDERS
, THOSE SELF HELP INDIVIDUALS
ARE FIRST RESPONDERS. THEY ARE
TRIAGING. THEY ARE ASSISTING.
THEY ARE HELPING FOLKS WHO
OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE A VOICE
AT THE TABLE. SO THEY BECOME
CRITICAL TO ALL OF YOUR
CONSTITUENTS. AND CERTAINLY WE
TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THE MISSION
OF OUR BRANCH, WHICH IS EQUITY
AND FAIRNESS AND MAKING SURE WE
HAVE A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE
BRANCH. HOW DARE US TO LEAVE OUT
OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION
BY THOSE WHO CAN BE SERVED BY
OUR SELF HELP CENTERS. SO I'M
AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, BUT
I'M JUST SO HONORED TO BE HERE
THIS AFTERNOON. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. PRESIDING JUDGE. FOR
THAT. ANYTHING FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. UM, LEO.
SO ANITA LEE WITH THE L A. OH SO
WE HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST
ASSESSMENT FOR YOU. STARTING ON
PAGES 13 OF YOUR AGENDA. IT'S 13
THROUGH 15. AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO
FOLLOW ALONG OR RECOMMENDATIONS
CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 16. WE DID
TAKE A SLIGHTLY BROADER APPROACH
. UM WHEN THINKING ABOUT SELF
HELP CENTERS, AND SO WE DO HAVE
THREE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU.
OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS WE
RECOMMEND THE LEGISLATURE DIRECT
JUDICIAL COUNCIL. CELL TO
CONVENE A WORKING GROUP. TO
ASSESS ALL PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE
LEGAL ASSISTANCE OR SERVICES IN
THE STATE AND PROVIDE A REPORT
BY JANUARY OF 2027, AND THIS
WOULD BE A COMPREHENSIVE PICTURE
OF WHERE THESE SERVICES ARE
BEING DELIVERED. HOW THEY'RE
BEING DELIVERED. WHETHER THERE
ARE GAPS IN SERVICES AS WELL AS
WHERE THERE CAN BE IMPROVEMENTS
TO AVOID DUPLICATION. AND THIS
IS REALLY NECESSARY BECAUSE WE
CURRENTLY HAVE A WIDE ARRAY OF
THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE
OPERATING SEPARATELY FROM ONE
ANOTHER, AND THEY RECEIVE BOTH
STATE AND OTHER FUNDING, BUT
GENERALLY IN A PIECEMEAL MANNER,
AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDES
BOTH THE SELF HELP CENTERS, BUT
OTHER THINGS LIKE COUNTY LAW
LIBRARIES, THE SHRIVER PROGRAM
AND THE EQUAL ACCESS FUND, AND
SO THESE PROGRAMS ARE REALLY
HELPFUL. BECAUSE THEY DO PROMOTE
EQUITY. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO
LOWER INCOME INDIVIDUALS WHO
CAN'T AFFORD AN ATTORNEY ON
ISSUES THAT CAN REALLY IMPACT
THEIR LIVES LIKE CHILD CUSTODY
AND EVICTIONS. UM AS MR WILL
MENTIONED THERE HAVE BEEN A
VALUATIONS DONE ON THESE
PROGRAMS. UM AND THEY HAVE
INDICATED BENEFITS. BUT THE
BENEFITS ARE DIFFERENT,
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU PUT THE
MONEY IN, AND THAT RAISES SOME
REALLY INTERESTING POLICY
CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE
LEGISLATURE IN TERMS OF WHERE TO
INVEST MONEY. SO THAT IT'S
ALIGNED WITH LEGISLATIVE
PRIORITIES. SO AN EXAMPLE OF
THAT IS MONIES THAT ARE PROVIDED
TO TRIAL. COURTS CAN BENEFIT
BOTH COURTS AND LITIGANTS, AND
THEY'RE AVAILABLE IN EVERY COURT
AND THAT'S BEING DONE BY
IMPROVING COURT EFFICIENCIES BY
REDUCING DELAYS FROM INCOMPLETE
PAPERWORK OR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT THE PROCESS. IN CONTRAST,
THE SHRIVER PROGRAM, WHICH IS
ONLY AVAILABLE IN 11, COURTS,
PROVIDES LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO
LOWER INCOME INDIVIDUALS IN
CERTAIN CASE TYPES LIKE EVICTION
. AND SO AN EVALUATION OF THOSE
EVICTIONS SERVICES ACTUALLY
INDICATED SOME ACTUALLY MORE
NOTABLE BENEFITS FOR THE
LITIGANTS, FOR EXAMPLE, REDUCING
THE AMOUNT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE
TO PAY. TO RESOLVE THEIR CASES,
AND THAT, IN TURN MAKES IT MORE
LIKELY THAT THEY CAN FIND
REPLACEMENT HOUSING IN THE
FUTURE. SO THAT KIND OF GIVES AN
ILLUSTRATION OF THE POLICY KIND
OF CHOICE THAT EXISTS THERE FOR
THE LEGISLATURE. OUR SECOND
RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE
LEGISLATURE TO ALSO REQUIRE THAT
WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP A
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR FUNDING THESE
LEGAL ASSISTANT PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES. AND SO THE STRATEGIC
FUNDING PLAN WOULD DETAIL HOW TO
IMPROVE THE EXISTING ALLOCATION
OF FUNDS. HOW TO MINIMIZE THE
REDUCTION, THE IMPACTS OF ANY
FUNDING REDUCTIONS AND TO
PRIORITIZE WHERE MONEY'S COULD
GO IF FUTURE MONEY'S BECAME
AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO INCREASE
SERVICE LEVELS AND A COST
EFFECTIVE MANNER. AND SO
MAXIMIZING THE USE OF RESOURCES
CAN REALLY HELP INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED, WHICH
WE WOULD NOTICE, PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT GIVEN THE STATE'S
BUDGET SITUATION. UM AND SO THIS
IS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE
THERE IS AN ESTIMATED LARGE
AMOUNT OF UNMET NEED AS AN
EXAMPLE OF THAT A 2017 STUDY
DONE BY THE JUDICIAL BRANCH
INDICATED THAT TENS OF MILLIONS
WOULD POTENTIALLY BE NEEDED IF
SELF HELP CENTERS THEMSELVES
WERE TO BE FULLY STAFFED. AS
ANOTHER EXAMPLE. I MENTIONED THE
SHRIVER PROGRAM AND I SAID,
THAT'S ONLY AVAILABLE IN 11
COURTS. AND SO THAT KIND OF
GIVES AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH NEED
THERE COULD BE. OUR FINAL
RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER
PROVIDING THAT REQUESTED 19
MILLION, UM, BUT ONLY PROVIDING
IT FOR THREE YEARS. KIND OF
CALLING BACK TO MY ORIGINAL
COMMENTS ON ISSUE ONE. GIVEN THE
STATE'S BUDGET SITUATION, YOU'RE
GOING TO WANT TO WEIGH THIS
AGAINST ALL OF YOUR OTHER
PRIORITIES. BUT IF WE LOOK AT
THIS INDIVIDUALLY ON ITS OWN
MERITS, IT IS REASONABLE BECAUSE
YOU'D BE MAINTAINING EXISTING
SERVICE LEVELS AND PREVENTING A
REDUCTION IN SERVICE. BUT WE ARE
RECOMMENDING ONLY THREE YEARS
BECAUSE THAT RECOMMENDED
ASSESSMENT REPORT AND THAT
STRATEGIC PLAN WOULD BE DUE IN
JANUARY OF 2027. AND SO THAT'S
THREE YEARS AND SO YOU'D WANT TO
USE THAT INFORMATION TO THEN
INFORM THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING
THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING FOR THESE
PROGRAMS IN 2728 TO MAKE SURE
THAT IT'S ALIGNED WITH
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE MAXIMIZING
THE USE OF THOSE DOLLARS. WITH
THAT CONCLUDE OUR COMMENTS AND
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANY COMMENTS
FROM THE PRESIDING JUDGE, OR
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
MR LOCKIE? CERTAINLY MR. OKAY GO
AHEAD, HENRY IN DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. SO WHAT? WE RECOGNIZE
ELIO S RECOMMENDATION TO CONVENE
A, UM. IT WORK GROUP TO ASSESS
STATEWIDE LEGAL RESOURCES AND TO
FIND THE PROGRAM ON A LIMITED
BASIS. WE WOULD LIKE TO NOTE
THAT THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL IS NOT
CURRENTLY BEING FUNDED TO
CONVENE SUCH A WORKGROUP. SO
THAT WOULD LIKELY MEAN
ADDITIONAL GENERAL FUND
RESOURCES BEING NEEDED AND WE'RE
ESTIMATING IT TO BE IN THE IN
THE, UH, THE LOW MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS. UM WHICH IS, OF COURSE,
BEYOND WHAT IS INCLUDING THE
GOVERNMENT'S BUDGET. IN ADDITION
, WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT ONGOING FUNDING FOR
HIS PROPOSAL. THERE IS A CLEAR
NEED FOR SELF HELP CENTERS AS
THEY HELP SELF REPRESENTED
LITIGANTS AND THOSE WHO WHO
COULD NOT AFFORD A JOURNEY.
DIFFERENT BODY GUIDANCE. UM AND
THESE COURT EMPLOYED ATTORNEYS
HELP WITH PAPERWORK AND EXPLAIN
THE NEXT PROCESS, ITS NEXT STEPS
AS WELL, TOO. UM SO PROVIDING
ONGOING FUNDING AND ALSO HELPS
THE COURTS PLAN FOR THE BETTER
PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. AND TO THE
EXTENT ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE
MADE TO THE FUNDING, OR WE CAN
DO SO THROUGH THE ANNUAL BUDGET
PROCESS. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
COMMENTS FROM DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, MR
LUCKY. YEAH, I JUST LIKE TO SAY
THAT FIRST OF ALL I THINK IT'S
EXCITING TO SEE THE SUCCESS OF
THESE SELF HELP CENTERS PROVIDE
UM YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT, UH THE STATE DON'T FOLLOW
A PATH OF BEING PENNY RICH AND
NICOLE POOR. AND I THINK TOO
OFTEN, THAT'S THE PATHWAY THAT
WE PURSUE. UM I'M ACTUALLY
CONSIDERING AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT. WERE GIVEN
THESE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS AND
ESPECIALLY THE FIRST ONE. I'M
ACTUALLY, UH. WORKING ON RUNNING
AS A STUDY BILL TO DO THAT VERY
THING. I'M HIGHLY HIGHLY
INTERESTED IN IN ACCOMPLISHING
THAT, AND BETTER BUDGET YEARS. I
THINK THE STATE MAY WANT TO
CONSIDER EXPANDING THE
ELIGIBILITY AND THE SHRIVER
PROGRAM. THE TIME NOW, OBVIOUSLY
IS NOT GOOD FOR THAT. BUT WHY IN
THE WORLD WOULDN'T WE WANT TO
EXPAND SUCCESS LIKE THIS? WHEN
WE HAVE SO MANY CHALLENGES, AS
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT EARLIER AND
THE SHORTCOMINGS, ESPECIALLY IN
DECEMBER, DINO COUNTY AND MANY
OTHER RURAL AREAS, TOO. UM WE
NEED TO USE THESE. THESE
PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY'RE PROVEN.
RIGHT. AND ONE THING I'VE
LEARNED IN MY LIFE. OBVIOUSLY
YOU CAN TELL BY MY HAIR THAT I'M
AN EXPERIENCED PERSON. RIGHT AND
ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IS,
STUDIES ARE HELPFUL, BUT LIFE
EXPERIENCES ARE EVEN MORE
MEANINGFUL. BECAUSE THEY INVOLVE
HUMAN BEHAVIOR, WHICH IS OFTEN
HARD TO PREDICT. SO VERY, VERY
EXCITED TO SEE THE SUCCESS THAT
THE SELF HELP PROGRAMS. HAVE
ACTUALLY PROVEN. AND I HOPE THAT
THE LEGISLATURE WILL ENHANCE
THEIR SUCCESS BECAUSE EVERYBODY
DESERVES THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU TO THE
PRESENTATIONS AND DIFFERENT
POINTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP INTO
THE L. A S OFFICE. IT IS
INTERESTING TO SEE IN UTILIZE
RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE
BOTH WITHIN UM, STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, BUT ALSO FROM
DIFFERENT NONPROFITS THAT ARE
OUT THERE. YOU KNOW AS
UTILIZATION OF THOSE RESOURCES,
ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME
WHERE WE CONTINUE TO HEAR, UM AH
, THE PRESENTATIONS ON THE
BUDGET AND HOW IT'S GROWN SINCE
JANUARY TO WHERE WE ARE NOW I
THINK WE HAVE TO START THINKING
OUTSIDE THE BOX AND START TO AT
LEAST DISCUSS THE UTILIZATION OF
RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR GOOD
PROGRAMS LIKE THIS TO ENSURE
THAT THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE
FORWARD, SO WE ARE OPEN TO THAT
DIALOGUE. WE ARE OPEN TO
ENSURING THAT UTILIZATION OF
RESOURCES A POINT THAT WE MOVE
FORWARD ON AND DISCUSS HERE
WITHIN THIS COMMITTEE, SO I
WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION. I WANT TO THANK
THE PANEL HAS NOW WE TRANSITION
Tð PANEL SIX. HE STARTED. WAIT.
LET ME GET BACK YOUR NAME. THANK
YOU, MR THERE'S LOCK. OH, YES.
SO THE PANEL SIX WILL BE PALA
MCCORMICK DIRECTOR, JUDICIAL
COUNCIL FACILITY SERVICE.
CORINNE VAN REVENUE, HORST
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE PHILIP
OSBORNE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
ANITA LEE LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS
OFFICE. GO AHEAD, MR MCCORMICK.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. UM I'M HELEN
MCCORMICK. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
FACILITY SERVICES AT JUDICIAL
COUNCIL, JUDICIAL COUNCILS
FACILITIES PROGRAMS MISSION IS
TO PROVIDE UNIFORMLY SAFE,
SECURE AND WELL MAINTAINED COURT
FACILITIES. THE PROGRAM STRIVES
TO OPTIMIZE PREVENTATIVE
MAINTENANCE FUNDING REDUCED THE
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BACKLOG AND
REPLACE SUBSTANDARD, ANTIQUATED
FACILITIES WITH MODERN
COURTHOUSES. THE FACILITY
PROGRAM COMPLETES APPROXIMATELY
1500 FACILITY MODIFICATION
PROJECTS AND 100,000 MAINTENANCE
SERVICE ORDERS ANNUALLY IN THE
OVER 450 FACILITIES IN THE
PORTFOLIO. DURING FISCAL YEAR
2324. CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR
SHASTA, GLENN AND IMPERIAL
COUNTIES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
ADDITIONALLY THE RIVERSIDE NH P
PROJECT IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN
JUNE 2024 AND PROJECTS FOR
STANISLAS, SACRAMENTO SONOMA AND
RIVERSIDE INDIO WILL COMPLETE IN
FISCAL YEAR 2425. THESE PROJECTS
WILL ACTIVATE 130 COURTROOMS AND
VACATE 21 SUBSTANDARD
FACILITIES. THE 2425 CAPITAL.
PROJECT REQUESTS INCLUDE DESIGN
BUILD PHASE FOR THE SIXTH
DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL IN
SUNNYVALE, SANTA CLARA COUNTY
FUNDING IS ALSO REQUESTED FOR
THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
FOR THE STANISLAUS NEW MODESTO
COURTHOUSE, WHICH WILL COMPLETE
CONSTRUCTION IN 2425. THE 24 25
5 YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE PROPOSAL
REFLECTS THE CURRENT FINANCIAL
CIRCUMSTANCES AND WILL
SIGNIFICANTLY SLOW THE
COMPLETION RATE. FOR COURTHOUSE
PROJECTS. 10 PREVIOUSLY
APPROPRIATED PROJECTS WILL
COMPLETE CURRENT ACQUISITION OR
DESIGN PHASES AND BE PLACED ON
HOLD UNTIL A FUTURE FUNDING
YEAR. THERE ARE AN ADDITIONAL 69
OTHER PROJECTS ON THE STATEWIDE
LIST WAITING FOR APPROPRIATIONS.
ADDITIONALLY THE BEAUTY JUVENILE
COURT RENOVATION IN COURTROOM
BUILD UP PROJECTS FOR KINGS
SUTTER IN SAN JOAQUIN COURTS
WILL COMPLETE DESIGN AND BE
PLACED ON HOLD UNTIL GENERAL
FUND REVENUES STABILIZE. THE
FACILITIES PROGRAM IS POISED TO
CONTINUE PROVIDING ASSET
MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS,
MAINTENANCE, REAL ESTATE
PLANNING AND OTHER FACILITY
SERVICES TO THE COURTS AND THE
COMING FISCAL GEAR WITHIN
CURRENT FUNDING LEVELS. YOUR
CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE
JUDICIAL COUNCIL FACILITIES
PROGRAM IS APPRECIATED, AND I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS,
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE HELLO.
COMMENT FROM THE DIOCESE. JUST A
QUICK QUESTION WITH THE
ENHANCEMENT OF REMOTE HEARINGS
CHANGED THE DYNAMIC OF ANY OF
THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
ONLY THEN THAT WE ARE PUTTING
TECHNOLOGY TO BE ABLE TO USE
REMOTE PROCEEDINGS AND ALL OF
THE DIFFERENT COURTROOMS. THE
STANDARDS THAT ARE COMING OUT IN
MARCH. THERE WILL ALSO BE
SUBSEQUENT STANDARDS THAT COME
OUT. UM, PROBABLY THIS FALL THAT
WILL ADDRESS KIND OF THOSE TYPES
OF ISSUES TRYING TO GIVE AS MUCH
FLEXIBILITY. TO THE COURTS AS
POSSIBLE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. IN THE DIFFERENT
DEFINITIONS IN THE IN THE TABLES
THAT WE HAVE. DOES THIS ALSO
TALK ABOUT A MODIFYING NOT SO
MUCH OF A BUILDING FROM THE
GROUND UP MODIFYING WHAT'S
ALREADY THERE TO SERVICE A NEED,
LIKE A COURT OR ANYTHING OF
THOSE SORTS. EACH PROJECT IS
KIND OF SCOPED ON ITS OWN MERITS
. UM, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT
WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO
RENOVATION IN EXISTING COURT
FACILITIES. IS THAT THE NOISE
AND DISRUPTION IS HIGHLY
IMPACTFUL TO THE PROCEEDINGS. SO
EITHER YOU END UP PLAYING
PREMIUM TIME TO DO THE WORK
AFTER HOURS. OR YOU HAVE TO
RELOCATE THE COURT FOR THE
DURATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION
PROJECT. UM MANY OF THE
FACILITIES IN THE PORTFOLIO ARE
AT END OF LIFE. SOMETHING LIKE
300 OF OUR 450 PROJECTS ARE
NEARING 50 YEARS OLD, WHICH IS
CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW A
REPLACEMENT. TIME FOR A
PARTICULAR PROJECT. SO. UM IF
THERE IS INSIDE OF A BUILDING A
ROOM THAT JUST NEEDS TO HAVE
MODIFICATION DOES THAT GO ON THE
LIST? OR HOW DID YOU GET ON THE
LIST FOR SOME OF THIS FUNDING
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS?
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF
FUNDING. SO UM, IF YOU'RE JUST
TRYING TO DO LIKE A SMALL
RENOVATION PROJECT WITHIN AN
EXISTING COURTROOM THAT WOULD BE
CALLED A FACILITIES MODIFICATION
PROJECTS SO WE DO ABOUT 1500 OF
THOSE EACH YEAR. THERE IS A
PRIORITY LIST AND I WILL TELL
YOU THAT WE GET, UM, ABOUT $80
MILLION A YEAR TO PERFORM THOSE
PROJECTS. BUT PRIMARILY THOSE
PROJECTS, ADDRESS MAINTENANCE
NEEDS OR CAPITAL RENEWAL'S. SO,
FOR EXAMPLE, LARGE EQUIPMENT
THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED
BECAUSE IT'S AT END OF LIFE. UM
A LOT OF TIMES THE COURT FUNDED
REQUEST FUNDING WOULD COME FROM
THE COURT ITSELF. TO BE ABLE TO
PERFORM LIKE, UM ENHANCEMENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANTED TO
CHANGE A CONFERENCE ROOM INTO
TWO OFFICES, A PROJECT LIKE THAT
WOULD BE SELF FUNDED BY THE
COURTS. SO THOSE TYPES OF
PROJECTS DIFFERENT CATEGORIES
SELF FUNDED BY THE BY THE COURTS
THEMSELVES, MEANING THE
DIFFERENT COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
THAT WAY WE PUT IT THROUGH THEIR
BUDGET SYSTEM AND THEN WOULD BE
ABLE TO COME TO YOUR PURVIEW
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT
REMODEL TYPE DEAL AND NEW
CONSTRUCTION. UM THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE'S A SET OF PROTOCOLS. TO
DETERMINE KIND OF WHAT PATH A
PROJECT TAKES, UM, DEPENDING ON
THE RULE OF COURT AND PARTICULAR
PROCEDURES, AND WHAT EXACTLY THE
PROJECT IS TYPICALLY IF IT
REQUIRES PERMITTING AND
INSPECTION THAT PROJECT NEEDS TO
COME THROUGH THE FACILITIES
GROUP FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT TO
ENSURE THAT ITS REGULATORY LEE
COMPLIANT. AND IF I MIGHT HAVE
THE COMMITTEE IS ALSO HAS
OVERSEEN BY JUDICIAL OFFICERS.
SO IT'S NOT A STAFF DRIVEN
DECISION. THE TEAM MAKES
RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN THERE
ARE CORE LEADERSHIP WHO ARE
HEADS OF THESE COMMITTEES THAT
ARE LOOKING AT THE STATEWIDE
NEED. UM AND DETERMINING WHAT
ARE THE HIGHEST, UH, PRIORITIES
OF EXPENDITURE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION HERE TODAY AND
THANK YOU TO ALL THE PANELISTS
THAT WE'RE UP HERE ALL THE
DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WE WENT
THROUGH HERE TODAY. WITHIN THIS,
UM, THIS HEARING WANT TO THANK
YOU IS THAT CONCLUDES SOME ISSUE
SIX. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO PUBLIC
COMMENT. EACH PERSON WILL HAVE
UP TO ONE MINUTE TO STRESS
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ISSUES WE
DISCUSSED HERE TODAY. GOOD
AFTERNOON. LINDSEY GOAL HORN
HERE WITH CAPITAL ADVOCACY ON
BEHALF OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, UH THE,
UH, THE SHORTAGE OF JUDGES IN
THE COUNTY AS YOU HEARD FROM
JUDGE ROGAN TODAY, THIS EXTREME
SHORTAGES, CREATING A REALLY
SIGNIFICANT HARDSHIP FOR COUNTY
RESIDENTS WHO HAVE TO WAIT YEARS
TO HAVE THEIR LEGAL CASES, UM,
HELD, LET ALONE RESOLVED. AS
DEAD, ROGAN STATED. IT ALSO IS
PLACING A CRUSHING
ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN ON THE
ENTIRE APPARATUS OF THE SUPERIOR
COURT, WHERE JUDGES PROSECUTORS,
PUBLIC DEFENDERS ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT STAFF ARE STRUGGLING TO
ENSURE THAT PROCEEDINGS ARE HELD
IN A TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE MANNER
AND WELL WE ARE, OF COURSE,
AWARE OF THE STATE'S FISCAL
SITUATION. UH THE LACK OF JUDGES
IN THE COUNTY ISN'T EXTREME
INEQUITY IN THIS STATE. AND
RESOURCES ARE NEEDED TO CREATE
NEW JUDGE POSITIONS SO THE
COUNTY IS EAGER AND WILLING TO
WORK WITH THE LEGISLATURE ON
SOLUTIONS TO THIS. THANK YOU.
KENNETH HARTMAN WITH THE
TRANSFORMATIVE IN PRISON
WORKGROUP GOING BACK TO ISSUE
NUMBER ONE, THE SECTION ON ADULT
REENTRY GRANTS. UM I JUST WANTED
TO SAY I WONDER IF THE STATE IS
BEING YOU KNOW, PENNY WISE AND
POUND FOOLISH. BECAUSE
UNDERMINING ADULT REENTRY GRANTS
. ACTUALLY, THOSE ARE HELP
PEOPLE GET HOUSING WHEN THEY GET
OUT OF PRISON AND USUALLY GOES
TO THE POOREST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE
ANY FAMILY DON'T ACT FORMER
INCARCERATED PERSON MYSELF.
LUCKILY HAD MORE SUPPORT THAN
THAT. BUT I KNOW THOSE GRANTS
SUPPORT. THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE GETTING OUT MAKES IT
MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE
SUCCESSFUL. SO I WONDER IF THERE
SHOULD BE SOME RETHINKING OF HOW
THAT'S BEEN DONE. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIRMAN MEMBERS,
NICK BROKE OFF FROM SACRAMENTO
ADVOCATES HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
PUBLIC DEFENDERS ASSOCIATION, AS
WELL AS A COALITION OF COUNTY
PARTNERS. SOCIAL JUSTICE
ORGANIZATIONS TO COMMENT ON
ISSUE NUMBER ONE AND THE
ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSAL TO
ELIMINATE OR CLAW BACK THE $40
MILLION IN THE FINAL YEAR OF
FUNDING FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENSE
PILOT PROGRAM. WE CERTAINLY HOPE
TO SEE THE LEGISLATURE RETAIN
THAT FUNDING I REALLY APPRECIATE
COMMENTS AND SOMEBODY MEMBER
LACKEY RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT ON
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, BUT ALSO
WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS
THE ONLY STATEWIDE FUNDING IN
PLACE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE
PROVISION OF INDIGENT DEFENSE.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
AND THE DATA WE APPRECIATE AND
RECOGNIZE THE GREAT DEFICIT THE
STATE FACES. BUT THE RETURN OF
THE STATE'S INVESTMENT THUS FAR
HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIAL. WE LOOK AT
13 COUNTIES IN THE STATE. WE
HAVE DATA FOR OUT OF 34 THAT
PARTICIPATE AND THE SAVINGS ARE
SUBSTANTIAL ANYWHERE FROM AT A
MINIMUM $94 MILLION, BUT UPWARDS
OF 781 MILLION IN COST SAVINGS
SO WE THINK THE RI IS
SIGNIFICANT, AND IT'S GOOD FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I APPRECIATE
THE CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. I
THANK YOU. CHAIR COMMITTEE
MEMBERS AND STAFF RYAN MORE
IMMUNITY FROM THE CALIFORNIA
STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES,
ALSO ON BEHALF OF THE URBAN
COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA AND RURAL
COUNTY. REPRESENTATIVES OF
CALIFORNIA WOULD LIKE TO ECHO
THE COMMENTS OF THE COLLEAGUE
FROM THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S
ASSOCIATION AND APPRECIATE THE
COMMENTS FROM YOU, MR LACKEY
JUST AROUND THE IMPORTANCE OF
FUNDING THE FINAL AND THIRD YEAR
OF THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, IN
SHORT LIST $40 MILLION
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO HELP
ENSURE THAT COUNTIES CAN
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE AND THOSE
ESSENTIAL POST CONVICTION
SERVICES. YOU KNOW AS ALIGNED
WITH WITH RECENTLY LEGISLATION
PASSED THROUGH HIS BODY, SO
THANK YOU VERY CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS SANDRA
BARRERA ON BEHALF OF HIÂU,
CALIFORNIA WE REPRESENT COURT
EMPLOYEES AND 34 COUNTIES ACROSS
THE STATE WANTED TO COMMENT ON
ISSUE. THREE OTHER REMOTE
PROCEEDINGS, TRAILER BILL
LANGUAGE AND THE INCREASE TO THE
TRIAL FUND. UH, TRIAL FUND
RESERVE CAP. UM WE ARE.
APPARENTLY WE AREN'T INHERENTLY
OPPOSED TO REMOTE. UM, BUT WE
ARE OPPOSED TO A STRAIGHT
EXTENSION OF PROCEDURES INTENDED
TO GET US THROUGH AN EMERGENCY
WITHOUT RE EVALUATION FOR THE
IMPACTS ON STAFF. IT'S BEEN FOUR
YEARS SINCE REMOTE PROCEEDINGS
WERE IMPLEMENTED, AND MANY
COURTS STILL DON'T HAVE THE
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY FOR STAFF
TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE AND
PERFORM THEIR FUNCTIONS WITH
REMOTE PROCEEDINGS. AND THERE
ARE CURRENTLY NO MINIMUM
EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY REPORT
REQUIREMENTS IN THE LANGUAGE.
THE TRAILER BILL LANGUAGE FOR
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AND MOST
CIVIL, INCLUDING FAMILY, SO
THERE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE
MINIMUM EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
STANDARDS ADDED COURTS ARE ALSO
EXPERIENCING HIGH VACANCIES IN
BOTH COURT REPORTER AND CLERK
POSITIONS. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE
WHO MOVED THE CALENDARS. WE
HEARD A JUDGE TALK ABOUT HOW
DIFFICULT IT IS TO HEAR HUNDREDS
OF CASES A DAY ON A CALENDAR AND
THE COURT STAFF ARE THE ONES
THAT MAKE THAT HAPPEN. UH COURT
REPORTERS ARE ALSO BURNED OUT
BECAUSE THEY'RE STRESSED ABOUT
LOSING THEIR LICENSES. UM DURING
A REMOTE PROCEEDING. ANY GLITCH
CAN INTERRUPT A PROCEEDING. AND
THEN IF THE PROCEEDS IF THE
VERBATIM RECORD IS AN ACCURATE
THEY COULD LOSE THEIR LICENSE.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE
RESERVE CAP, YOU KNOW LOW WAGES
CONTRIBUTE TO THE VACANCIES IN
HIGH TURNOVER OF COURT STAFF.
ANY EXCESS MONEY SHOULD BE USED
FOR BARGAINING TO HELP
COMPENSATE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE
SOMETIMES DOING THE WORK OF 2 TO
3. DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS DUE
TO VACANCIES AND ALSO WE WANT TO
KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE
MONEY FOR THESE VACANT POSITIONS
AGAIN. THIS IS ACROSS EVERY
SINGLE COURT, INCLUDING SAN
BERNARDINO. THE LEGAL PROCESSING
ASSISTANCE ARE EXPERIENCING HIGH
VACANCIES. SO WHAT'S HAPPENING
WITH FUNDING PRODUCE VACANT
POSITIONS WE'D LIKE TO KNOW
BEFORE THERE'S AN INCREASE TO
THE RESERVE FUND CAP. UM SO FOR
INSTANCE, SANDY SAN FRANCISCO
WON'T ALLOW THEIR CLERKS TO WORK
OVERTIME, WHICH WOULD HELP THEM
MOVE THEIR CASES. SINCE
RETURNING TO IN PERSON. WORKERS'
COMPLAINTS ABOUT REMOTE HAVE
LARGELY BEEN IGNORED. SO WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
COMMITTEE MORE ON THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. MR CHAIRMAN
MEMBERS, PAT RAN WITH AARON
READING ASSOCIATES, REPRESENTING
THE ORANGE COUNTY EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION, REPRESENT COURT
WORKERS IN ORANGE COUNTY WERE
EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS
THAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUE FROM S. C
I U HIGHLIGHTED, UH. WE'RE NOT
INHERENTLY OPPOSED TO REMOTE
PROCESSING, BUT WE ARE OPPOSED
TO THE TRAILER BILL. UM UNTIL
OUR ISSUES ARE WORKED OUT AND
INCLUDED PROTECTIONS THAT ARE
INCLUDED IN A B 1214 BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MAIENSCHEIN,
WHICH IS OVER IN THE SENATE.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE
INCORPORATED INTO THE BILL
DEALING WITH CRIMINAL. UM WE
ALSO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH REGARD
TO WHAT WAS SAID WITH REGARD TO
INTERRUPTIONS DURING REMOTE
PROCEEDINGS. THEY MADE IT. ONE
OF THE JUDGES MADE IT SOUND LIKE
INTERRUPTIONS AND REMOTE
PROCEEDINGS ARE JUST AS EASILY
HANDLED AS THEY ARE IN LIVE
COURT PROCEEDINGS. UM. THEY'RE
JUST NOT ACCORDING TO OUR
CLIENTS, INTERRUPTIONS. OUR
REMOTE PROCEEDINGS ARE MUCH MORE
DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH. AND UM
THEY'RE JUST DIFFERENT, UM, SO
WITH THAT WE'RE OPPOSED UNTIL WE
CAN WORK OUT OUR DIFFERENCES AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU. I'M JAN SCHMIDT, THE
DIRECTOR OF THE STANISLAUS
COUNTY LAW LIBRARY AND PASSED
PAST PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF
CALIFORNIA COUNTY LAW LIBRARIANS
HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ALL
COUNTY LAW LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT
THE STATE. AND I WANT TO SAY
THAT I APPRECIATE THE L. A S.
RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF THE LEGAL
SERVICES THAT WE ALL GIVE OR ALL
SERVED IN THE MOST VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS THAT WE DO ALL
SERVE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT LAST
YEAR COUNTY LAW LIBRARY SERVES
600,000 PEOPLE. MANY OF THOSE
WERE REFERRALS FROM SELF HELP
CENTERS. PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO
CONDUCT REMOTE HEARINGS BUT
DIDN'T HAVE TECHNOLOGY.
REFERRALS FROM LEGAL AID. AND.
WE GOT NO FUNDING LAST YEAR FROM
THE STATE, AND BY THE TIME THIS
STUDY IS COMPLETE IN THREE YEARS
MORE THAN. A THIRD OF THE RURAL
COUNTY LAW LIBRARIES IN THE
STATE. WILL BE CLOSED. THERE
WON'T BE COUNTY LAW LIBRARIES TO
SERVE THESE VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS. AND I KNOW THAT YOU
KNOW WE'VE TESTIFIED BEFORE, AND
JENNIFER IS WELL AWARE OF OUR
ISSUE. IT JUST YEAR AFTER YEAR
WERE WERE DOING THE TIN CUP
FUNDING. SO WE ARE HOPING FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE LONG TERM SOLUTION
, BUT THE $16.5 MILLION
SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING THAT COUNTY
LAW LIBRARIES GET FROM YEAR TO A
FEW YEARS IS WE'VE BEEN TOLD
THIS BUDGET DUST AND IT KEEPS
OUR DOORS OPEN UNTIL WE CAN AT
LEAST SEE AND YOU CAN SEE. WE
WILL WELCOME YOUR VIEW OF THE
SERVICES THAT WE DELIVER AND THE
PEOPLE THAT WE DELIVER IT TO. SO
SORRY FOR GOING OVER TIME, BUT
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
OF THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. HI I'M EMILY BOURKE
FELLED DIRECTOR OF THE ALAMEDA
COUNTY LAW LIBRARY. CONTINUED
INVESTMENT IN CALIFORNIA'S
EXISTING NETWORK OF COUNTY LAW
LIBRARIES IS A CRITICAL PART OF
A COST EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT AND
SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM SOLUTION
TO ENSURE THAT ALL CALIFORNIANS
HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO ACCURATE
LEGAL INFORMATION, EQUAL ACCESS
TO LEGAL TECHNOLOGY AND
SUBSCRIPTION LEGAL DATABASES
EQUAL ACCESS TO THE COURTS. AND
EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE. PLEASE
PROTECT PUBLIC ACCESS TO HIGH
QUALITY LEGAL INFORMATION BY
FUNDING COUNTY LAW LIBRARIES,
WHICH ARE CALIFORNIA'S ACCESS TO
JUSTICE, SAFETY NET DEMAND FOR
OUR SERVICES CONTINUES TO GROW
EACH YEAR, EVEN AS OUR FUNDING
FROM COURT FILING FEES HAS
DECLINED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THAT
AFTERNOON. CHAIR MEMBERS. JANICE
SOMALI WITH ASKS ME, CALIFORNIA
JUST WANTED TO ECHO THE COMMENTS
MADE BY SANDRA BARREIRO FROM S C
I U AND ALSO PAT MORAN,
REPRESENTING, UM O C MEMBERS. WE
ALSO HAVE A HANDFUL OF COURT
REPORTERS, COURT CLERKS THAT WE
REPRESENT. UH AND WE ALSO ARE IN
OPPOSITION TO THE TRAILER, BUILD
LANGUAGE AND ITEM THREE UNDER
THE JUDICIAL BRANCH. WE'D LIKE
FOR EXTRA CONSIDERATION ON
SAFEGUARDS FOR TECHNOLOGY TO
ENSURE THAT OUR COURT REPORTERS
HAVE ACCURATE. ACCESS. TO THE
VERBATIM RECORD AND TO PROTECT
THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING
RESTITUTION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ANY OTHER
PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE OF
THIS HEARING IS ADJOURNED.