HB290 Summary: Judiciary Appropriations Act of 2015

• Appropriates funds to the Hawaii judiciary for the fiscal biennium July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2017, including general funds, special funds, and general obligation bond funds across seven program areas (Courts of Appeal, four judicial circuits, Judicial Selection Commission, and Administration).

• Authorizes $55,000,000 in general obligation bonds for the Kona Judiciary Complex construction project, with the entire appropriation required to be encumbered by June 30, 2016 or it will lapse.

• Permits the chief justice to transfer funds and positions between programs for operating purposes and to delegate capital improvement project planning and construction to other state or county agencies when advantageous.

• Requires $600,000 annually from administration funds for civil legal services contracts, with reporting requirements to the legislature on contract details and program measures achieved.

• Lapses previous appropriations totaling $4,630,000 in general obligation bond funds from prior fiscal years' judiciary budgets.