House Bill 967 Summary

• Requires the Legislature to appropriate sufficient funds annually to fully fund district attorneys' offices, circuit and chancery court reporters and administrators, juvenile drug courts, county offices of the State Department of Health and Department of Human Services, and audit services so counties do not subsidize state services.

• Shifts funding responsibility from counties to the state for salaries and travel expenses of court administrators and court reporters by directing the Legislature to appropriate these costs rather than requiring county contributions.

• Requires the Legislature to fully fund the Capital Defense Counsel Division and Office of Post-Conviction Counsel to cover all costs of post-capital conviction appeals and indigent capital defense representation so counties are not burdened with these expenses.

• Amends audit service provisions to require state funding for audits of county governments and their departments and institutions rather than charging counties the portion of costs exceeding $35 per man-hour.

• Takes effect July 1, 2015.