Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
                      CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT DIGEST
HB 781                                 2024 Regular Session                              McFarland
                 Keyword and oneliner of the instrument as it left the House
APPROPRIATIONS: Appropriates funds for the expenses of the judiciary for Fiscal Year 2024-
2025
                    Report adopts Senate amendments to:
1.     Restore funding of $743,057 for personnel at the Criminal District Court of Orleans.
2.     Make technical changes.
                    Report rejects Senate amendments which would have:
1.     Removed proposed language requiring the completion of the work point study by the
       National Center for State Courts before funding any salary increases for judges.
2.     Added language providing that if the La. Supreme Court and the La. Judicial Budgetary
       Control Bd. determine that the judiciary has sufficient funding from the state and other
       sources to fund salary increases, and if such determination is made prior to July 1, 2024, the
       following salary increases shall be in effect from July 1, 2024: $15,280 to the justices of the
       supreme court, $17,680 to the judges of the courts of appeal, $14,691 to the judges of the
       district courts, and 8.45% to the judges of the city and parish courts.
3.     Made a technical change.
                                    Report amends the bill to:
1.     Add language providing that if the La. Supreme Court and the La. Judicial Budgetary Control
       Bd. each determine that the judiciary has sufficient funding from its approved bank account,
       as reflected in its balance as of June 30, 2024, to fund a one-time stipend as authorized in
       proposed law, then the justices of the supreme court shall receive an additional one-time
       payment of Fifteen Thousand Two Hundred Eighty ($15,280) Dollars; the judges of the
       courts of appeal shall receive an additional one-time payment of Seventeen Thousand Six
       Hundred Eighty ($17,680) Dollars; the judges of the district courts shall receive an additional
       one-time payment of Fourteen Thousand Six Hundred Ninety-One ($14,691) Dollars; and
       the judges of city courts and parish courts shall receive an additional one-time payment of
       Eight and Forty-Five Hundredths (8.45) Percent of their current base salary.
2.     Add language providing that the one-time stipend authorized in proposed law shall be funded
       solely by the approved bank account of the judiciary based on its balance as of June 30,
       2024.
3.     Add language providing that the one-time stipend authorized in proposed law shall become
       effective following the completion of a work point study of the appellate and district courts
       in Louisiana with the National Center for State Courts and the submission of a report to the
       Louisiana Supreme Court and the Judicial Structure Task Force continued pursuant to House
       Resolution No. 3 of the 2024 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.
4.     Add language providing that the one-time stipend authorized in proposed law shall not be
       funded by a specific appropriation of the Louisiana Legislature, and as such shall not be
       considered compensation under present constitution (Art. V, Sec. 21 of the Constitution of
       La.), which prohibits the reduction of compensation of a judge during his term.
5.     Add language providing that any salary increase pursuant to present law (R.S. 13:5636),
       which authorizes sheriffs to receive a salary increase, that occurs by operation of law shall
       be considered a salary increase for purposes of present constitution (Art. V, Sec. 31), which
       prohibits the reduction of the salary of a sheriff during his term of office.
                 Digest of the bill as proposed by the Conference Committee
Appropriates funds for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 for the ordinary operating expenses of the judicial
branch of government with total funding of $208,551,329 from the following sources: $187,315,555
out of the State General Fund (Direct); $9,392,850 out of Interagency Transfers; and $11,842,924
from statutory dedications out of the Judges' Supplemental Compensation Fund and the Trial Court
Case Management Fund.
Proposed law provides that if the La. Supreme Court and the La. Judicial Budgetary Control Bd. each
determine that the judiciary has sufficient funding from its approved bank account, as reflected in
its balance as of June 30, 2024, to fund a one-time stipend as authorized in proposed law, then the
justices of the supreme court shall receive an additional one-time payment of Fifteen Thousand Two
Hundred Eighty ($15,280) Dollars; the judges of the courts of appeal shall receive an additional one-
time payment of Seventeen Thousand Six Hundred Eighty ($17,680) Dollars; the judges of the
district courts shall receive an additional one-time payment of Fourteen Thousand Six Hundred
Ninety-One ($14,691) Dollars; and the judges of city courts and parish courts shall receive an
additional one-time payment of Eight and Forty-Five Hundredths (8.45) Percent of their current base
salary.
Proposed law provides that the one-time stipend authorized in proposed law shall be funded solely
by the approved bank account of the judiciary based on its balance as of June 30, 2024. Further
provides that the one-time stipend authorized in proposed law shall become effective following the
completion of a work point study of the appellate and district courts in Louisiana with the National
Center for State Courts and the submission of a report to the Louisiana Supreme Court and the
Judicial Structure Task Force continued pursuant to House Resolution No. 3 of the 2024 Regular
Session of the Louisiana Legislature.
Provides that the one-time stipend authorized in proposed law shall not be funded by a specific
appropriation of the Louisiana Legislature, and as such shall not be considered compensation under
present constitution (Art. V, Sec. 21 of the Constitution of La.), which prohibits the reduction of
compensation of a judge during his term.
Provides that any salary increase pursuant to present law (R.S. 13:5636), which authorizes sheriffs
to receive a salary increase, that occurs by operation of law shall be considered a salary increase for
purposes of present constitution (Art. V, Sec. 31), which prohibits the reduction of the salary of a
sheriff during his term of office.
Funding for the ordinary operating expenses of the judicial branch of government is provided as
follows:
                                           FY 24 EOB                                FY 25 REC
   Louisiana Supreme Court                $  87,705,242                     $     94,167,608
   Courts of Appeal                       $  51,986,944                     $             55,830,638
   District Courts                        $  44,571,039                     $             48,684,291
   Criminal Court, Parish of Orleans      $   6,979,439                     $              7,387,777
   Juvenile and Family Courts             $   2,858,092                     $       2,911,815
   Other Courts (Required by Statute)     $   3,601,525                     $       3,901,082
   Other Programs                         $     815,183                     $                862,658
   Reduction (SGF)                        $           0                     $    (13,666,285)
   Increase (SGF)                         $           0                     $       8,471,745
Total Funding                             $ 198,517,464                     $    208,551,329
Effective July 1, 2024.