The Senate Finance Committee conducted their first budget hearing Tuesday with Chief Justice Allen Loughry presenting from the Supreme Court of Appeals.
The Court is asking for $141 million for the 2018 fiscal year, as opposed to the $143 million they were provided during the last fiscal year.
This request accounts for only 1.2 percent of the entire state budget to fund the whole judicial branch for the entirety of the fiscal year.
Loughry suggested that the committee also look into reallocating a few areas in the Court’s budget that has caused issues for the branch; particularly, finding new sources of revenue for drug testing, having counties cover rent for family courts, among other issues.
He also said the Court would not be willing to cut court days to four days a week instead of five, as it would disable the Court’s ability to administer justice in as many cases as it does.
Senate Finance will meet again tomorrow.
