SB 1523 - Criminal Justice Budget Reconciliation

• Amends judge salary payment structure in counties with population over 2 million persons, transitioning from county-only funding (through FY2018-2019) to 50/50 state-county cost sharing by FY2020-2021.

• Modifies incarceration cost setoff procedures and terminology in section 31-238, allowing the state to offset incarceration costs against monetary claims owed to convicted persons.

• Increases threshold for collection enforcement revolving fund excess monies from $500,000 to $1,000,000 before distribution to recipient funds.

• Creates the criminal justice enhancement fund and directs 80% of monies collected under section 12-116.01 to this new fund, with 20% going to the collection enforcement revolving fund.

• Establishes the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission as the state's designated administering agency for federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance grants and requires 30-day advance notice to the legislature before submitting federal grant applications.

• Includes multiple fiscal provisions allowing various state agencies (Department of Public Safety, Attorney General, Supreme Court, Department of Emergency and Military Affairs) to use restricted funds for specific purposes in FY2018-2019 and beyond.

• Requires Yavapai and Pinal county attorneys to post monthly criminal case statistics on public websites for 12 months beginning January 1, 2019, including data on indictments, plea agreements, trials, sentences, and defendant demographics.