SBX 12: Budget Act of 2024.

SEC. 5.26.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the Department of Finance shall augment the following items of appropriation in Section 2.00 as specified:

(1) (A) $10,000,000 to Item 0250-101-0001 to be distributed by the Judicial Council, through the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission of the State Bar, as grants to qualified legal services projects and support centers, as defined in Sections 6213 to 6215, inclusive, of the Business and Professions Code, to provide civil legal services for indigent persons. The Legal Services Trust Fund Commission shall make the grant award determinations pursuant to the formula described in Section 6216 of the Business and Professions Code, after the organizations affirm they are providing qualifying services and will use the funds to provide legal services to vulnerable persons at risk of detention, deportation, eviction, wage theft, intimate partner violence, and other actions that put their safety at risk, as a result of potential or actual federal actions. The minimum grant award amount shall be $25,000, and grant funds shall not be distributed pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 6216 of the Business and Professions Code. Up to 2.5 percent of the amount described in this paragraph shall be available for administrative costs.

(B) Following the award of all funding made available pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Judicial Council shall provide a report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee that includes, at a minimum, the grant awardees, grant amounts, and grant period.

(2) (A) $10,000,000 to Item 5180-151-0001 to be available for grants or contracts, and state operations, under the authority of Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 13300) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code with organizations qualified pursuant to that chapter, to provide immigration-related services, including removal defense.

(B) Upon approval of the Department of Finance, funds made available pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be transferred to Item 5180-001-0001 to implement and administer immigration-related services.

(C) Following the award of funding made available pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Department of Social Services shall provide written notification to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on the distribution of funds made available pursuant to subparagraph (A). The notification shall include, at a minimum, the grant awardees, grant amounts, and grant period, and the amount and intended purpose of any funds transferred pursuant to subparagraph (B).

(3) (A) $5,000,000 to Item 0250-101-0001 to be available to be distributed through the Judicial Council as a supplement to its existing contract with the California Access to Justice Commission as a one-time expansion of the commission’s grants to nonprofit providers of legal services. Of this amount, not more than 2.5 percent shall be available for administrative costs.

(B) Following the award of all funding made available pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Judicial Council shall provide a report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee that includes, at a minimum, the grant awardees, grant amounts, and grant period. Any required reports to the Judicial Council shall be provided 90 days after the end of the supplemental funding grant period.

(b) Funds allocated pursuant to this section shall be available for encumbrance until June 30, 2026, and for expenditure until June 30, 2028.

SEC. 99.50.

The following is an index to the general sections of this act. These sections serve to define terms and identify restrictions concerning the appropriations contained in this act.