Adjusted Executive Legislative
Approp. Request Approp.
2000-01 2001-02 2001-02 Change
STATE OPERATIONS
General Fund 1,429,152,682 1,491,986,161 1,492,486,161 500,000
Special Rev.-Fed. 8,613,651 4,000,000 4,000,000 0
Special Rev.-Other 57,722,608 65,888,656 65,888,656 0
Total for
STATE OPERATIONS: 1,495,488,941 1,561,874,817 1,562,374,817 500,000
AID TO LOCALITIES
General Fund 775,000 500,000 850,000 350,000
Special Rev.-Other 59,318,556 84,768,898 84,768,898 0
Total for
AID TO LOCALITIES: 60,093,556 85,268,898 85,618,898 350,000
Capital Projects Fund 7,775,000 35,825,000 35,825,000 0
Total for
CAPITAL PROJECTS: 7,775,000 35,825,000 35,825,000 0
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Agency Mission
The New York State Courts are established and administered as an independent
branch of government pursuant to Article VI of the State Constitution. The
cost of operating the courts (excluding town and village courts) is borne by
the State pursuant to the Unified Court Budget Act. The mission of the Unified
Court System is to promote the rule of law and to serve the public by providing
just and timely resolution of all matters before the courts. The New York
State Judiciary carries out its mission through eleven different trial courts,
known as courts of original jurisdiction, as well as through its intermediate
appellate courts and its highest court, the Court of Appeals.
Year-to-Year Change
The Chief Judge recommends an All Funds appropriation of $1,682,986,715 in
State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2001-2002, an increase of $119,611,218 or 7.7 percent
from SFY 2000-01.
Legislative Proposals
The Assembly supports an increase in the rates paid to assigned counsel
pursuant to Article 18-b of the County Law, an increase in the rates paid to
law guardians in the Family Court and related changes to improve the public
defense and family court representation systems. The rates paid to assigned
counsel and law guardians have not been raised since 1986, are now among the
lowest in the nation and have resulted in a severe shortage of qualified
attorneys available to handle such cases. Among other harmful impacts, this
severe shortage is effectively denying victims of domestic violence and
children who are the subject of family court proceedings the full range of
protection they are entitled to under our justice system.
To meet this need, the Assembly has joined with the Senate and the Governor
in a bi-partisan task force to develop a plan to increase assigned counsel and
law guardian rates and make related improvements in these systems. The
Assembly believes such changes should be enacted during the current legislative
session, should include provisions for state assistance to support rate
increases and should be the product of a budget agreement which provides
support from the Governor, the Senate and the Assembly. The Assembly recognizes
that any task force agreement which meets these goals will require additional
budget action by the Governor and the Legislature during the current
legislative session to be fully implemented. The Assembly stands ready to
join with the Governor and the Senate in taking such additional budget action.
The Assembly adds $350,000 for the City-Wide Task Force on Housing Court,
an organization that provides information, advocacy and referrals to people in
danger of losing their housing.
The Assembly adds $500,000 additional funding for training of Drug Court
personnel.
JUDICIAL & DRUG COURT TRAINING - ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
CITY-WIDE TASK FORCE ON HOUSING COURT.
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$500,000
$350,000
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ST/GEN
ATL/GEN
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