RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 775 (HB 781) 2024 Regular Session McFarland
New law appropriates funds for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 for the ordinary operating expenses
of the judicial branch of government, including the supreme court, courts of appeal, district
courts, juvenile and family courts, and other courts, 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.
New law provides that if the La. Supreme Court and the La. Judicial Budgetary Control
Board 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, then the
justices of the supreme court shall receive an additional one-time payment of $15,280; the
judges of the courts of appeal shall receive an additional one-time payment of $17,680; the
judges of the district courts shall receive an additional one-time payment of $14,691; and the
judges of the city courts and parish courts shall receive an additional one-time payment of
8.45% of their current base salary. New law further provides that the one-time stipend shall
be funded solely by the approved bank account of the judiciary based on its balance as of
June 30, 2024.
New law provides that the one-time stipend shall not be funded by a specific appropriation
of the Louisiana Legislature, and as such shall not be considered compensation pursuant to
existing Constitution (Art. 5, Sec. 21).
New law provides that any salary increase pursuant to existing law (R.S. 13:5636) that occurs
by operation of law shall be considered a salary increase for purposes of existing Constitution
(Art. 5, Sec. 31).
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
VETO MESSAGE:
"Please allow this letter to inform you that I have signed House Bill No. 781 of the 2024
Regular Session. However, I have exercised my line-item veto authority granted to me to
veto 1 item as follows:
Veto No. 1: Delete lines 25-29, Section C., on page 10 of 11
This Section relates to a required work point study of the appellate and district courts in
Louisiana. However, the study at issue is not scheduled to be completed until February 1,
2025, which is more than halfway through the fiscal year. Additionally, the Supreme Court
establishes its own work study and caseload evaluation pursuant to the authority granted to
it in La. Const. Art. V. On the recommendation of the judiciary commission, the Supreme
Court has the authority to censure, suspend, remove from office, and even withhold salary
of a variety of reason, including willful and persistent failure to perform his duty. La. Const.
Art. V, §25.
Enclosed is a copy of the signed version of House Bill No. 781. I have sent the original to
the Secretary of State."
Effective July 1, 2024.