California Chief Justice Releases Statement on Governor's Budget Proposal

California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye on Monday issued the following statement on the Governor’s budget proposal for the judicial branch:

I welcome the Governor’s continuing commitment to sustainable funding in his budget proposal for the judicial branch. He clearly recognizes how important equal access to justice is for all Californians. We look forward to working on this landmark budget proposal with his administration and the Legislature in the next few months as the budget becomes finalized.”
 

The proposed budget includes $890.6 million in new funding reflecting priorities of Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye to advance equal access to justice for all Californians.

The proposal includes:

• Funding for 23 new trial court judgeships.
   
• Technology Modernization: $34.7 million in fiscal year 2022-23 (increasing to $40.3 million in 2025-26) to support technology modernization throughout the judicial branch. Investments would also support initiatives that promote public access to digital records and court proceedings by expanding electronic case filing, digitizing court documents, enabling online dispute resolutions, and enhancing remote proceedings. 
   
• Remote Access: $33.2 million each year for two years and $1.6 million annually after that to implement and support remote access to courtroom proceedings (AB 716). These resources will be used to provide a publicly accessible audio stream for every courthouse in the state.
   
• Critically Needed New Courthouses: Funding for five new courthouse projects: a new Santa Clarita Courthouse (Los Angeles); Quincy Courthouse (Plumas); Solano Hall of Justice in Fairfield; Fresno Courthouse; and San Luis Obispo Courthouse.
  
  The proposal includes funding for three already approved projects: the new Ukiah Courthouse (Mendocino); and Juvenile Hall renovations in Butte and San Bernardino counties.

Governor Newsom's budget proposal for the judicial branch.