Assembly Delays Action on Courts Funding

In a temporary setback for the county, the state Assembly on Thursday postponed action on an emergency bill that would provide the funding needed to avert a threatened shutdown of the trial courts.

The delay was caused by a labor dispute between Los Angeles County and its court clerks union that prompted some Democrats to withhold their support for the legislation, which provides relief to several financially ailing counties. Backing from Democrats is crucial because the bill requires a two-thirds majority for passage.

The Assembly is expected to consider the bill again next week, and Orange County officials expressed guarded optimism that it will be approved by both houses and signed by Gov. Pete Wilson.

Nonetheless, they warned that further delays could jeopardize court operations. The courts will be able to make today’s payroll, but it remains unclear if the May 17 payroll can be covered without state aid.

“My concern is that we are running out of time,” said Dan Chick, legislative aide to the bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside). “Our original plan was to have all this done today.”

The proposed legislation would provide the trial courts with $8.8 million in state funding and require the county to contribute about $13 million. But over the last few months, the county had allocated more than $8 million to the courts, reducing the amount it will have to give if the bill becomes law.

Chick said Assembly Democrats asked to postpone the vote so they could meet with Los Angeles union leaders and hopefully resolve the dispute by Monday. The court clerks are at odds with Los Angeles County over a new contract.

Alan Slater, the executive officer of the Orange County Superior Court, said he didn’t think the labor dispute would derail the bill, but added, “The key thing is getting this done as soon as possible.”

The courts face a shortfall of roughly $20 million that could force them to shut down through the end of the fiscal year, which ends June 30.

The deficit has its roots in state cuts in trial court funding. For a while, the county was able to fill the funding gap. But the December 1994 bankruptcy forced it to also cut back.