Sec. 175.
(1) The judicial technology improvement fund is created in the state treasury. The money in the fund shall be used as provided in this section.
(2) The state treasurer shall credit to the judicial technology improvement fund deposits of proceeds from the collection of revenue from court fees as provided in this act and shall credit all income from investment credited to the fund by the state treasurer. The state treasurer may invest money in the fund in any manner authorized by law for the investment of state money. However, an investment shall not interfere with any apportionment, allocation, or payment of money as required by this section. The state treasurer shall credit to the fund all income earned as a result of an investment of money in the fund. Except as provided in subsection (3), the unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not revert to the general fund.
(3) For the state fiscal year ending September 30, 2005 only, $1,500,000.00 of the unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of that fiscal year shall be transferred by the state treasurer to the general fund.
(4) The state court administrative office shall administer the judicial technology improvement fund. Money from the fund shall be expended for the development and ongoing support of a statewide judicial information system. The supreme court and the state court administrative office, working with the departments of state police, corrections, information technology, and secretary of state and with the prosecuting attorneys association of Michigan, will develop a statewide telecommunications infrastructure to integrate criminal justice information systems. The judicial technology improvement fund shall also be used to pursue technology innovations that will result in enhanced public service and access to local trial courts. These innovations will include, but not be limited to, electronic filing, on-line payments of fines and fees, data warehousing, and web-based instructions for completion of court documents.
(5) The state court administrative office shall be reimbursed annually from the judicial technology improvement fund for all reasonable costs associated with the administration of this section, including judicial and staff training, on-site management assistance, and software development and conversion.
History: Add. 2003, Act 78, Eff. Oct. 1, 2003 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 466, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2004