Transcript Highlights:

• The Attorney General was the only board member on the land board that had attorneys in the Department
• But in the last year or so, we've seen these issues where the Attorney General's attorneys and the Department
• the Attorney General's deputies.
• ; it should just be the Attorney General.
• In the original 1292, the attorney or the Land Board can still hire—the Attorney General still use the

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from February 9 and February 11, 2026. It then heard Senate Bill 1328 from Senator Harris, a bill described as a technical cleanup measure following 2024 legislation that allowed the Idaho Department of Lands to use its own general counsel. Harris said the bill would replace references to the Attorney General with the Department of Lands’ general counsel in multiple statutes to clarify who handles enforcement and litigation for land and forestry matters. The Attorney General’s office, through Phil Skinner, opposed the bill as a substantive constitutional change that improperly transfers core duties of the Attorney General, including representing the state in court and advising the Land Board. Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller and general counsel John Richards testified in support, citing confusion in recent cases over who represented the state and saying the bill would clarify roles. After debate, a substitute motion to hold the bill in committee failed 2-7, and the original motion to send the bill to the floor with a do-pass recommendation passed 7-2. The committee then considered several Fish and Game rules brought forward through the Governor’s zero-based regulation process. Docket 13-0103-2501, covering public use of Fish and Game lands, added definitions for camping and leash, clarified camping limits, and prohibited exploding targets and air guns; it was approved. Docket 13-0116-2401, on trapping and fur-bearing animals, clarified bait definitions, increased reimbursement for non-target species, adjusted trapping rules near snow-covered routes and wildlife crossings, allowed some wolf trapping near feeding sites, and removed a reporting deadline; it was also approved. Docket 13-0119-2501, governing licensed vendors, revised selection and termination criteria, lowered the vendor ceiling, barred new out-of-state vendor applications, and allowed vendors to pass along credit card processing fees; it too was approved. Finally, the committee heard Docket 2601-2501 from the Department of Parks and Recreation, which proposed fee and rule updates for parks facilities. Director Susan Buxton said the changes were intended to update fee caps to reflect rising costs, remove redundant language, and adjust several charges, including entrance, commercial vehicle, boating, and moorage fees. At the committee’s direction, two sections were rejected: Rule 075, which Buxton said was redundant, and Rule 250, which would have increased campsite-related fees. Members said the campsite fee increase should be reconsidered later and that non-resident fee increases should be prioritized. The remaining portions of the Parks and Recreation rule docket were approved with those exceptions.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, if the Attorney General's office comes after, Mr.
• says the Lieutenant General or the Attorney General or the Attorney General investigate wrongdoing,
• And the Attorney General is not a bottomless pit of money.
• the Attorney General is charged with enforcing.
• President, I'm not an attorney. I do not play one on TV.

Bills: SB5223, SB5928, SB6071, SB5995, SB5966, SB5841, SB6061, SB5944, SB5520, SB6087, SB6076, SB5916, SB6016, SB6137, SB6009, SB5833, SB6161, SB5890, SB5973, SJM8015, SB5816, SB5053, SB5249, SB5536, SB5834, SB5837, SB5872, SB5879, SB5899, SB5925, SB6019, SB6148, SB6190, SB6237, SB6086, SB5574, SB5873, SB5992, SB5924, SB6134, SB6263, SB5395, SB6282, SB5905, SB6302, SB5950, SB6074, SB6096, SB5970, SB5609, SB5827, SB5838, SB5845, SB5862, SB5880, SB5901, SB5922, SB5943, SB5971, SB5975, SB5981, SB5982, SB5984, SB5988, SB5994, SB6034, SB6035, SB6070, SB6097, SB6110, SB6246, SB6248, SB6278, SJM8016, SB5496, SB6054, SB5835, SB5907, SB6031, SB6155, SB6158, SB6227, SB5947, SB6247, SB6085, SB6234, SB6274, SB6194, SB5909, SB5868, SB6026, SB5974, SB6044, SB5906, SB6081, SB6239, SB5923, SB6323, SB6210, SB6045, SB6106, SB5346, SB6089, SB6170, SB5954, SB5968

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, wildfire risk, disclosure, safety, environmental policy, risk assessment, overpayment recovery, modernization, health care, legislation, zero emission, cargo handling, port district, environmental impact, grant allocation, healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:03:59.879><c> uh</c><00:04:00.120><c> attorneys</c> sometimes even funding uh attorneys sometimes
• as it does all public attorneys.
• It also covers the Attorney General's office as it does all public attorneys.
• attorney general.
• But when it's nonactive, it should be treated like any other public attorney, city attorney, county attorney

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The attorney for the Ethics Commission, is the attorney for the Ethics Commission also a SAG? Yes.
• And still leaving in line two at the very beginning, attorneys general instead of attorney generals.
• An attorney, absent good cause, and upon, okay, so I think it would be refused to appoint the attorney
• It says that Attorney General may.
• Attorney General may, the only way the Attorney General can say this person can't be a SAG is unless

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee reconvened and reviewed the status of several bills. The chair said bill 1377 could not be acted on until the House finished work on campaign finance bill 2156, and bill 1535 likely would not be ready because of unresolved concerns from Representative Davis and planned meetings with Highway Patrol and BCI. The committee therefore focused on bill 1601, which dealt with when the Attorney General may refuse or revoke special assistant attorney general appointments for certain state offices and entities. Members debated the policy and constitutional implications of the bill, including whether it was solving a real problem or creating a potential conflict, and whether statewide elected officials and independent bodies should have their own counsel. After testimony from the Chief Deputy Attorney General clarifying current law and the appropriations process, the committee amended the bill to add the Ethics Commission to the list of entities and to narrow the affected offices to the Governor, State Auditor, and Ethics Commission. The committee also changed one provision from “and” to “or” to clarify the standard for refusal or revocation. The committee then approved the bill as amended on a 6-0 vote and designated Senator Braunberger as the carrier. The chair said the committee would not meet the next morning and would instead reconvene the following week at the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• This only deals with staff attorneys; it does not deal with the private attorney.
• We're more often than not the attorneys who are called when other attorneys walk away from their clients
• We're more often than not the attorneys who are called when other attorneys walk away from their clients
• , how many social workers we need per attorney, how many supervisors we need per attorney.
• I remember when we lost several attorneys.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 2522 / H. 5909, which would amend state labor law to treat the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) as a public employer and allow its employees to seek collective bargaining rights. The chair explained the Article 48 initiative process, noted that no opponents or members of the public had signed up to testify, and said written testimony would be accepted through March 20. The hearing focused on whether CPCS staff should be brought within the public-sector bargaining framework and how that would interact with the agency’s statutory duties. Expert testimony began with an NCSL analyst, who gave a national overview of public employee bargaining rights and examples of public defender unions in other states and localities, including Colorado, New York City, Indianapolis, Cook County, Maryland, and Illinois. Department of Labor Relations officials then reviewed prior failed organizing efforts at CPCS and its predecessor, explaining that earlier petitions were dismissed because the agency was not considered a public employer under existing law. They said passage of the initiative would not automatically unionize employees, but would allow a union to petition for an election or written majority authorization, with normal unit-appropriateness and supervisory/confidential employee issues still to be resolved. CPCS Chief Counsel Anthony Benedetti testified that the agency supports providing information to the legislature but is not taking a position for or against unionization. He described CPCS’s statutory responsibilities, size, and current efforts to expand staffing after recent indigent-defense crises, and said any new bargaining framework would need to operate alongside the agency’s obligations to provide counsel. Proponents from SEIU Local 888 and allied labor groups argued that CPCS employees have long been denied the same collective bargaining rights as other public workers, and that a union would provide just-cause protections, a voice on staffing and working conditions, and better support for recruitment and retention. CPCS attorneys and staff testified in favor of the measure, citing heavy caseloads, rapid expansion, inadequate supervision and office support, and the need for representation in disciplinary and workplace disputes. Committee members asked about bargaining-unit composition, the role of the DLR, the effect of unionization on attorneys’ ethical duties, and the use and cost of paid signature gathering. The hearing ended with no votes taken and no opposition testimony presented.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's about three attorneys working in our legal hotline and intake department and about 13 attorneys
• One is a judge, one is the county attorney, and another is the Apple Red attorney who is responsible
• One is a judge, one is the county attorney, and another is the Apple Red attorney who is responsible
• County has only one attorney.
• There's not attorneys attorneys there.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Legal Aid Network of Kentucky, including Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, Kentucky Legal Aid, AppalRed Legal Aid, and the Legal Aid Society in Louisville. The presenters explained that the four nonprofit programs provide civil legal services in all 120 counties, focusing on low-income clients and matters such as domestic violence, family law, housing, expungement, public benefits, and veterans’ issues. They emphasized that they do not handle criminal defense cases and described statewide efforts such as the kyjustice.org website and Project Renew, which helps people in recovery with legal issues that affect stability, employment, housing, and family reunification. Each organization highlighted regional service challenges and examples of casework. Legal Aid of the Bluegrass described its 33-county service area, its mobile “justice bus,” and expungement work for people in recovery. Kentucky Legal Aid focused on disaster response after the December 2021 tornadoes, including insurance disputes and contractor fraud, and said it has continued to handle repeated FEMA-declared disasters. AppalRed described serving 37 rural counties with limited attorneys, the shortage of lawyers in “rural legal deserts,” and its disaster-response work after flooding and tornadoes, including FEMA appeals clinics and volunteer attorney support. The Legal Aid Society described its Louisville-area veteran services, including Social Security and VA disability cases, veterans treatment court referrals, and homeless outreach. Committee members praised the organizations’ work and noted the importance of their services. In response to questions about funding, the presenters said their support comes from a mix of Legal Services Corporation funds, state appropriations, federal grants such as VOCA, VAWA, and HUD, United Way, and foundation funding. They stressed that many grants are restricted, while state funding is more flexible and useful for emergencies and day-to-day operations. The presenters said current funding does not fully meet demand and requested an increase in the General Assembly’s appropriation from $500,000 per year to $1 million per year, or $2 million over the biennium.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> until an attorney becomes available. until an attorney becomes available.
• Do kids get attorneys or not get attorneys?
• </c> training attorneys. training attorneys.
• had a right to an attorney.
• </c> an appointed attorney or an attorney for an appointed attorney or an attorney for a<02:00:15.599

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They've already have their financial power of attorney or their medical durable power of attorney when
• of attorney was effectuated.
• They've already have their financial power of attorney or their medical durable power of attorney when
• of attorney was effectuated.
• And, Senators, as you know, the Attorney General is the attorney for the state of Idaho.

Summary: The committee first approved the January 21, 2026 minutes, then took up Senate Bill 1240, a major rewrite of Idaho’s guardianship and conservatorship laws. Sponsor Sen. Ruchti and witnesses from TEPI, Disability Rights Idaho, AARP Idaho, the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities, the courts, and professional fiduciaries said the bill modernizes outdated statutes, strengthens least-restrictive alternatives, clarifies notice and hearing rights, adds a new short-term protective proceeding, and improves oversight and protections against isolation and abuse. One public witness raised concerns about ambiguity, agency authority, and possible overreach, but no formal opposition was presented by stakeholder groups. The committee voted unanimously to send SB 1240 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then considered three cleanup or clarification bills from Sen. Lakey. Senate Bill 1248 repeals the obsolete capital crimes defense fund now that the state has taken over public defense; it passed without testimony and was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1249 updates a statutory reference to current time-zone terminology; it also passed without opposition and was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1251, which clarifies that the Idaho Attorney General has statutory authority to civilly enforce state laws through declaratory or injunctive relief when no specific enforcement mechanism is provided. Sen. Lakey said the bill is meant as a catch-all and does not mandate action in every case. One public witness opposed the bill over concerns about broad authority and potential conflicts with local control, while Sen. Wintrow also raised separation-of-powers concerns during debate. Despite those objections, the committee voted to send SB 1251 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> also</c><01:26:44.320><c> claim</c><01:26:44.639><c> attorney</c> attorney could also claim attorney
• General says he has, and they have not even given that to county attorneys, city attorneys.
• General says he has, and they have not even given that to county attorneys, city attorneys.
• General says he has, and they have not even given that to county attorneys, city attorneys.
• They have not even given that to county attorneys, city attorneys.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She's an attorney who's spent And its many members.
• It's mostly medical providers and their attorneys.
• They've already have their financial power of attorney or their medical durable power of attorney when
• of attorney was effectuated.
• And, Senators, as you know, the Attorney General is the attorney for the state of Idaho.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first approved the January 21, 2026 minutes by voice vote. It then took up Senate Bill 1240, a major overhaul of Idaho’s guardianship and conservatorship laws. Senator Ruchti, bill drafters, and supporters from Disability Rights Idaho, AARP Idaho, the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities, and professional fiduciaries described the bill as a long-studied update that adds alternatives to guardianship, strengthens least-restrictive-means standards, clarifies notice and hearing rights, limits isolation and visitation restrictions, and creates a new short-term protective proceeding. Court counsel said the judiciary had worked on the bill and requested the delayed effective date, though he noted some added workload. One member of the public raised concerns about ambiguity, agency power, and possible overreach, but the bill sponsor said no major opposition remained after stakeholder changes. The committee voted to send SB 1240 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then considered three cleanup or clarification bills from Senator Lakey. Senate Bill 1248 repealed the obsolete capital crimes defense fund now that the state has taken over public defense; it passed unanimously to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1249 updated a statutory time reference to Mountain Time; it also passed unanimously with a due pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1251 clarified that the Attorney General has statutory authority to seek civil declaratory and injunctive relief to enforce state laws even when a specific enforcement mechanism is not written into a statute. Lakey said the bill was meant as a general civil enforcement clarification, not a mandate or criminal expansion. The main opposition came from Senator Wintrow, who argued the bill gave the AG too broad authority and that enforcement language should be included in individual laws instead; one public testifier also raised concerns about the breadth of state power, though on a different policy example. Despite that objection, the committee voted to send SB 1251 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> the</c> Attorney Susan Larabe from the Attorney Susan Larabe from the department<00:06:43.360><c
• </c> an attorney for that child as well. an attorney for that child as well.
• </c> efforts to secure counsel, an attorney efforts to secure counsel, an attorney is<00:32:43.679><c
• </c><00:33:25.440><c> to</c> Attorneys, it takes a lot of attorneys to be appointed right now.
• attorney cannot be immediately attorney cannot be immediately appointed. appointed. appointed.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Six additional attorneys, four attorneys, a research data specialist to do statistical analysis on RJA
• do, both our panel attorneys as well as our staff project attorneys.
• My staff of 16 attorneys oversee the work of 260 panel attorneys.
• And because of the shortage of attorneys, it takes about five to six months to find an attorney.
• we really need more panel attorneys.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard presentations on the Office of the State Public Defender, civil legal aid funding, and Judicial Branch operations. The State Public Defender requested permanent funding for positions that had been temporarily funded to implement the Racial Justice Act, explaining that the workload has grown substantially through retroactive capital-case briefing, habeas proceedings, data requests, and related statistical analysis. She also presented findings from a public defense workload and staffing report showing that California’s county-based public defense system is under-resourced, with too few attorneys, investigators, and support staff, especially in rural counties, and that statewide standards and funding are lacking. Committee members asked about the scope of racial bias claims, the impact of collaborative courts and Prop. 36, and the need for statewide cost estimates and phased funding options. The committee then heard from legal aid advocates and a Los Angeles Superior Court judge in support of increased civil legal aid funding. Witnesses described the Equal Access Fund, homelessness prevention services, health care access, and immigration detention defense as cost-effective ways to prevent evictions, stabilize families, and reduce downstream public costs. They requested a $50 million increase to the Equal Access Fund, $20 million to restart homelessness prevention services, and $10 million for health care access work, along with additional targeted investments from the California Access to Justice Commission. Testimony emphasized the severe shortage of legal aid attorneys, the high demand for immigration representation, and the role of legal aid in domestic violence, housing, and family law matters. Senators asked for more information on service locations, outreach, funding losses, and how the requested amounts were calculated. In the Judicial Branch overview, Judicial Council and trial court representatives supported the Governor’s proposed budget, including a $70 million increase for trial court operations, $21.7 million for employee health and retirement costs, and funding for appellate counsel and case processing. They said the money is needed to offset inflation, supply chain costs, and staffing pressures, and to preserve access to justice. Senators pressed the branch and Department of Finance on interpreter shortages, midyear funding flexibility, courthouse facilities needs, and judgeship needs in inland counties. Finance officials said they were aware of the broader facilities backlog, and the committee requested follow-up information on the full capital and maintenance needs, interpreter funding, and updated judgeship and workload data. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So a list, a list of persons and attorney, uh, the attorney had, had, had sent to a provider, also the
• I'm an attorney from Galveston.
• Most attorneys don't understand medical CPS cases, so there's a very few attorneys across the state that
• That's correct, provided the attorney is qualified like an attorney on the wheel would be.
• in a CPS case, but as far as the judge not liking the attorney or, you know, isn't their favorite attorney

Transcript Highlights:

• the attorney as a special attorney general upon request, or may not revoke the appointment. ...on this
• the attorney as a special assistant attorney general upon request, or may not revoke the appointment
• . ...or attorney as a special assistant attorney general upon request or may not revoke the appointment
• I'm not sure why that attorney needs to answer to the Attorney General.
• , either adding new attorney FTEs or increasing attorney salaries.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge, a quorum call, and approval of journal corrections. It then handled several House messages, appointing conference committees on Senate Bills 2004 and 2006 and House Bills 1018, 1019, and 1363, and re-referring House Bill 1216 to Appropriations. The chamber also adopted amendments to House Bill 1601, which would have expanded special assistant attorney general authority for certain offices, but the bill failed on final passage after strong opposition centered on preserving the Attorney General’s control and avoiding a solution in search of a problem. A major portion of the day focused on education funding. House Bill 1369 was amended to raise per-pupil aid from 2% and 2% to 3% and 3% and to increase the school construction loan transfer from $75 million to $100 million; supporters said this would help local schools and military base projects, while opponents raised questions about special education placement language and state coordination. The bill passed 44-3. House Bill 1013, the DPI budget, was also amended extensively to adjust staffing, funding sources, grants, meal assistance, teacher training, and other education programs; it passed 45-2. House Bill 2234, dealing with Choice Ready grants, was amended to shift funding away from general funds and toward federal or other sources, but then failed on final passage after the sponsor urged a red vote. The Senate also approved House Bill 1482, restricting bond and indebtedness elections for counties, cities, school districts, and park districts to primary or general election days, and House Bill 1332, creating a value-added agriculture facility incentive program with an emergency clause. House Bill 1010, the Insurance Department budget, passed unanimously after amendments reflecting the merger of the Securities Department into Insurance and adding staff and fee changes, while House Bill 1011, the separate Securities Department budget, failed because its funding was already included in HB 1010. House Bill 1584, a major pharmacy benefit manager reform bill, passed with an enforcement fund and new licensing/enforcement structure despite debate over ERISA and market transparency. In other action, the Senate concurred in House amendments and passed Senate Bills 2226, 2230, 2069, 2082, 2387, 2385, and 2186, with SB 2186 on parenting time interference and a child custody task force passing 27-20 after debate over whether the issue should be left to the courts. Senate Bill 2234, on Choice Ready grants, and Senate Bill 2243, on driver’s license points and traffic penalties, both failed after concurrence motions were adopted but final passage votes were overwhelmingly negative. The chamber also advanced Senate Bill 2291 to conference committee consideration near the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you can see, we are proposing that the attorney fee cap for workers' compensation attorneys be raised
• We did an attorney survey which was sent out to all attorneys that practiced in workers' compensation
• attorneys to take their spots.
• There were two attorneys that represent only workers, and there were two attorneys that represent only
• I think it was about 270 attorneys, and those attorneys represented both employers and workers, so we

Transcript Highlights:

• We will hear about attorney shortages.
• Six additional attorneys, four attorneys, a research data specialist to do statistical analysis on RJA
• do, both our panel attorneys as well as our staff project attorneys.
• My staff of 16 attorneys oversee the work of 260 panel attorneys.
• And because of the shortage of attorneys, it takes about five to six months to find an attorney.

Summary: The committee heard budget and workload presentations from the Office of the State Public Defender, legal aid organizations, and the Judicial Branch. OSPD requested permanent funding for positions that had been temporarily funded to implement the Racial Justice Act, explaining that the work has become ongoing and now includes additional Supreme Court briefing, habeas proceedings, investigations, expert analysis, and data requests. The State Public Defender also presented the AB 625 public defense workload report, which found statewide staffing shortages, caseloads above recommended standards, and major gaps in investigators and support staff. Senators asked about racial bias claims, the volume of data requests, and the impact of Prop. 36, and OSPD said it would provide additional written information. The legal aid panel asked for a $50 million increase to the Equal Access Fund, $20 million to restart homelessness prevention services, and $10 million for health care access work, while also supporting Access to Justice Commission requests for loan repayment assistance, immigrant family preparedness services, and innovation grants. Witnesses described legal aid as homelessness prevention and cited examples involving eviction defense, domestic violence survivors, and immigration detention cases. Los Angeles Superior Court Presiding Judge Sergio Tapia discussed eviction data, low tenant representation, and court pilots in Compton and at Stanley Mosk that combine mediation, rental assistance, and legal help. Senators asked for service maps, outreach materials, and more detail on funding needs and federal funding losses. For the Judicial Branch overview, the Judicial Council and trial court representatives supported the Governor’s proposed budget, including $70 million for trial court operations, $21.7 million for employee health and retirement costs, and funding for appellate counsel, case processing, and courthouse construction. They said rising costs, staffing retention, and interpreter shortages continue to strain the courts, and described efforts to reallocate interpreter funds and recruit hard-to-find languages such as Mixteco. Senators pressed the branch and the Department of Finance on courthouse facilities, noting that the long-term need is far larger than the current budget proposal; Finance said the branch’s facility needs were estimated at about $22.5 billion over 10 years to start 68 projects and $29.4 billion to complete the remaining projects. The committee requested follow-up information on facilities, judgeships, and interpreter needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will hear about attorney shortages.
• Six additional attorneys, four attorneys, a research data specialist to do statistical analysis on RJA
• do, both our panel attorneys as well as our staff project attorneys.
• My staff of 16 attorneys oversee the work of 260 panel attorneys.
• And because of the shortage of attorneys, it takes about five to six months to find an attorney.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, Senator Steven attorney general.
• </c><00:09:25.200><c> general</c> counsel for the attorney general counsel for the attorney general &
• Um all the child support functions came to the Attorney General's office.
• Um all the child support functions came to the Attorney General's office.
• </c> that and put the attorney general there. that and put the attorney general there.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 01:24.680><c> collects</c> currently the attorney general collects currently the attorney general collects
• All other monies recovered by the attorney general, including civil penalties, attorneys fees, general
• </c> do that as long as well as the attorney do that as long as well as the attorney general?
• Why couldn't that be a court or attorney<00:15:33.279><c> general?</c> attorney general?
• I will say attorney general.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Panel attorneys are self-employed, paid only for the time a reasonably experienced attorney would need
• attorneys, attorneys to replace those who are leaving and this results in our existing attorneys being
• We are losing panel attorneys and project attorneys at a fast clip, and we do not have enough attorneys
• We recruit and train attorneys, and we have been able to recruit and train some attorneys to join the
• CCAP made 277 case offers to panel attorneys in February, but our attorneys were only able to accept

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on Proposition 36 and its implementation, with judicial and budget officials describing it as a major shift from misdemeanor to felony processing for repeat drug possession and certain theft offenses. Witnesses explained that the law creates a treatment-mandated felony process that can lead to dismissal if a defendant completes treatment, but also requires evaluations, court monitoring, and potentially long, open-ended supervision. Judicial representatives said the new law is already generating large numbers of filings, creating workload, staffing, courtroom, and facility pressures, and that access to treatment beds, housing, and evaluation capacity is limiting participation. Several speakers emphasized that collaborative courts are effective but are not a perfect fit for Prop. 36 because those programs are typically probation-based and serve different risk/need populations. Court officials from San Bernardino and Orange counties said the impacts vary by county but are severe, with some counties seeing hundreds or more filings in a short period and others moving more slowly to build treatment infrastructure first. They argued that Prop. 36 is effectively an unfunded mandate unless the state provides more resources for judges, staff, facilities, treatment, housing, and supervision. The Legislative Analyst’s Office noted that Prop. 36 will reduce the Proposition 47 savings that fund mental health and substance use treatment grants, but said the near-term reduction is relatively modest and that the full effect will take time to appear because of the way those savings are calculated. Members of the committee repeatedly raised concerns that the state is underfunding the courts and counties needed to carry out the new law. The committee also reviewed the Governor’s proposed trial court operations budget, including a partial restoration of a prior $97 million cut and additional ongoing funding. Judicial branch officials said the restoration helped avoid furloughs, hiring freezes, and service reductions, and supported cybersecurity, technology, staffing, and records management. The LAO recommended that the Legislature seek more detail on how midyear restorations are handled and consider clarifying language for transferring unspent trial court trust fund monies to the General Fund. Finance said the flexibility in the ongoing funding was intentional and would be taken back for consideration. In a separate item, the committee heard testimony on a $6.3 million increase for Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal appointed counsel programs. Judicial officials and appellate project representatives said the system is facing a crisis because indigent appeals have risen sharply while the number of panel attorneys has fallen, leaving many cases waiting months for counsel. They argued the proposed increase would help but is still below what is needed to recruit and retain attorneys and prevent delays that affect criminal, juvenile, and child welfare cases. The committee also discussed the Tracy courthouse project in San Joaquin County, where local officials said reopening a courthouse closed since 2011 is necessary to serve a growing population and relieve overcrowding elsewhere. The LAO and Finance both noted the project is next in line under the facilities plan, though LAO suggested the Legislature could consider whether other facility priorities should come first.