Annual Legislative Budget Request

Interim State Courts Administrator Eric Maclure presented the Fiscal Year 2024-25 legislative budget request (LBR) for the State Courts System to the House Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittee on November 7, 2023.

The LBR includes requests to meet due process needs related to court reporting and interpreting. Demand for these critical services has increased in recent years, and the cost for these services has increased in kind.

Funding to initiate the creation of a courthouse for the recently created Sixth District Court of Appeal was also requested. The Sixth District Court of Appeal began operations on January 1, 2023, but has been working out of rented space in Lakeland, Florida since that time. The funding requested this year would provide for the purchase of a building site and the creation of a building plan.

Finally, the LBR included a request for salary increases for judges serving on district courts of appeal, circuits, and county courts to keep the compensation for these positions competitive with their peers around the country.

The budget request will be considered by the Legislature when it convenes for its regular session in January.