By Linda Rapattoni
Daily Journal Staff Writer

SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a measure into law Wednesday that enables the judiciary to transfer court facilities to the state so the judiciary can renovate old courthouses and build new ones.
The bill, AB 1491 by Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, extends a deadline, which had expired, to complete the transfers.
There are about 330 courthouses still in county hands that need to be transferred to the state before lawmakers are willing to invest significant sums in rebuilding or replacing them. About 120 facilities have already changed ownership to the state.
Jones, the chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, obtained special status for the bill to move quickly through the Legislature and into the governor's hands. It became immediately effective upon his signature.
"Our courthouses are in a shocking state of disrepair," Jones said. "The vast majority need significant improvement to provide safe and secure access to justice."
The measure would require counties wishing to transfer court facilities to the state to complete those agreements by Dec. 31, 2009. It provides monetary incentives to counties that make the transfers quickly. If they don't transfer facilities by Sept. 30, they must pay a higher court facilities fee, and an even steeper one after March 31.
Still unresolved, however, is where the $9 billion funding will come from to renovate or rebuild facilities that have long been outdated and pose serious dangers to the public.
The Administrative Office of the Courts has legislation pending that would raise court filing fees and criminal penalties for the costs of financing revenue bonds to enable the state to borrow billions of dollars for the massive statewide project.
With the state facing up to $16 billion in deficits, this is a year that makes it particularly hard for groups to win lawmakers' approval for projects that cost the state money.