Compendium of Budget Information for the 2011 General Session

Executive Offices & Criminal Justice
Appropriations Subcommittee

Function

The state is responsible for the payment of jurors and witnesses who appear in court. The state must also pay for court interpreter expenses. In recent years this line item has regularly run a deficit. Such shortfalls are referred to the Board of Examiners to be certified as a claim against the state. At the end of a fiscal year, surplus General Fund is used to pay the deficit, although budgetary accounting shows a negative carry-forward amount.

Statutory Authority

Utah Code 78B Chapter 1 establishes a framework and guidelines for witnesses, interpreters and jurors.

UCA 78B-1-146 provides for interpreters.
UCA 78B-1-118 assigns the responsibility for policy guidelines concerning payment of jurors and witnesses to the Judicial Council.
UCA 78B-1-117 authorizes this line item to go over the appropriated amount. The Judicial Council is required to submit a claim to the Board of Examiners for shortfalls.
UCA 78B-1-119 establishes fees for jurors and witnesses.
UCA 78B-1-151 authorizes payment of expert witnesses.

Intent Language

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that appropriations provided for Jury and Witness Fees in Item 22 of Chapter 396 Laws of Utah 2009 not lapse at the close of fiscal year 2010.

The agency will be reporting on implementation of this intent language during the 2010 General Session.

Funding Detail

Funding for this line item is primarily State General Fund. It is one of the few line items authorized to end with a negative balance.

Sources of Finance	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Actual	2011 Approp
General Fund	$1,525,000	$1,524,900	$1,524,900	$1,524,900	$1,530,000
General Fund, One-time	$0	$310,000	$0	$803,100	$0
Dedicated Credits Revenue	$11,000	$13,800	$11,500	$11,700	$10,000
Beginning Nonlapsing	($82,800)	($310,000)	($359,100)	($804,200)	($600,000)
Closing Nonlapsing	$309,900	$359,100	$804,200	$595,800	$1,200,000
Total	$1,763,100	$1,897,800	$1,981,500	$2,131,300	$2,140,000

Programs:	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Actual	2011 Approp
Jury, Witness, and Interpreter	$1,763,100	$1,897,800	$1,981,500	$2,131,300	$2,140,000
Total	$1,763,100	$1,897,800	$1,981,500	$2,131,300	$2,140,000

Categories of Expenditure	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Actual	2011 Approp
Personnel Services	$0	$0	$0	$166,100	$167,900
In-state Travel	$35,700	$5,000	$3,800	$2,800	$0
Out-of-state Travel	$26,000	$2,600	$3,000	$2,300	$0
Current Expense	$215,300	$205,600	$187,900	$214,600	$3,200
Other Charges/Pass Thru	$1,486,100	$1,684,600	$1,786,800	$1,745,500	$1,968,900
Total	$1,763,100	$1,897,800	$1,981,500	$2,131,300	$2,140,000

Other Indicators	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Actual	2011 Approp
Budgeted FTE	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.0	3.0

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