Posted: | August 29, 2013 04:49 PM |
---|---|
From: | Representative Thomas R. Caltagirone |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Revised Judicial Computer System Augmentation Surcharge Reauthorization |
I will soon be introducing legislation to reauthorize the collection of an $11.25 surcharge for the Judicial Computer Augmentation fund on all criminal and civil cases except those that are initiated based upon the filing of a traffic citation charging a Title 75 (Vehicle) summary offense. Under present law, this authorization is set to expire on December 31, 2014. See Title 42, Section 3733.1 (a)(1). We had hoped that the need for this fund might be temporary, but the exact opposite has been true to date. The same economic factors that contributed to the need for the legislature to enact this surcharge in 2009 still remain today. Making this authorization open-ended will allow the judiciary to plan its annual budget submissions to the General Assembly with more confidence that this fund will be available. The previous cosponsorship memos on this topic contained errors. Without this reauthorization, it will be necessary for the General Assembly to provide for substantially higher future general fund appropriations to fund constitutionally and statutorily-mandated judicial expenses. Please join me in cosponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB1791