BILL ANALYSIS Ó Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair SB 405 (Corbett) Hearing Date: 05/26/2011 Amended: As Introduced Consultant: Jolie Onodera Policy Vote: Judiciary 3-1 _________________________________________________________________ ____ BILL SUMMARY: SB 405 would ratify the authority of the Judicial Council to convert 10 additional subordinate judicial officer (SJO) positions in eligible superior courts to judgeships in the 2011-12 fiscal year, where the conversion will result in a judge being assigned to a family law or juvenile law assignment previously presided over by an SJO. This bill would provide that this conversion shall be in addition to any action taken under existing law that authorizes the conversion of up to 16 SJO positions per fiscal year to judgeships. _________________________________________________________________ ____ Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Fund Conversion of SJO positions Up to $300 annually General* *Trial Court Trust Fund _________________________________________________________________ ____ STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE. Existing law authorizes the conversion of 162 SJO positions in eligible courts to judgeships, upon vacancy, not to exceed 16 conversions each fiscal year. Additionally, Chapter 690/2010 authorizes the Judicial Council to convert up to an additional 10 SJO positions to judgeships each year, upon vacancy, to eligible courts if the conversion of the positions would result in the judge being assigned to a family or juvenile law assignment previously presided over by an SJO. Existing law requires the conversion of the 10 additional SJO positions to be ratified by the Legislature by legislation other than the annual Budget Act. This bill would ratify the Judicial Council's authority to convert 10 SJO positions, as specified, for the 2011-12 fiscal year. Judicial Council indicates that the maximum 16 positions have been converted for each of the four years since conversion authority was provided in 2007-08, and additional SJO vacancies existed in eligible courts for each of those years. Additionally, of the 25 courts eligible for conversions of the 162 positions authorized by the Legislature, 91 positions remain > (>) Page 3 to be converted and allocated amongst 18 courts. The annual cost difference between an SJO and judgeship position is approximately $30,000. By allowing up to 10 new conversions, this bill could result in annual state costs of up to $300,000. As with prior conversions, the Judicial Council has indicated the increased cost will be absorbed within existing resources. However, in light of the $200 million reduction to the Judicial Branch budget, the capacity to absorb these additional costs is unknown.