Authority: §§ 16.1-69.30, 16.1-69.33, 17.1-314 through 17.1-320 and 17.1-502, Code of Virginia.

A. The Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court shall submit a monthly summary to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees and to the Director, Department of Planning and Budget, which will report the number of individuals for whom legal or medical services were provided and the nature and cost of such services as are authorized for payment from the criminal fund or the involuntary mental commitment fund.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 19.2-326, Code of Virginia, the amount of attorney's fees allowed counsel for indigent defendants in appeals to the Supreme Court shall be in the discretion of the Supreme Court.

C. The Chief Justice is authorized to reallocate legal support staff between the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals of Virginia, in order to meet changing workload demands.

D. Prior to January 1 of each year, the Judicial Council and the Committee on District Courts are requested to submit a fiscal impact assessment of their recommendations for the creation of any new judgeships, including the cost of judicial retirement, to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees on Courts of Justice, and the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees.

E. Included in this Item is $3,750,000 the first year and $3,750,000 the second year from the general fund, which may support computer system improvements for the several circuit and district courts.

F.  Out of the amounts included for General Management and Direction, $300,000 the first year and $300,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for the estimated costs of fully implementing the Judicial Performance Evaluation Project.

G.  The Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court shall submit a report by December 1, 2006, to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees regarding the selection, training, oversight, accountability, and scheduling of magistrates.  This report shall also examine issues regarding the use of video-conferencing technology to provide magistrate services to the public where part-time, on-call magistrates may serve currently.

H.  Given the continued concern about providing adequate compensation levels for court-appointed attorneys providing criminal indigent defense in the Commonwealth, the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court, in conjunction with the Governor, Attorney General, Indigent Defense Commission, representatives of the Indigent Defense Stakeholders Group Governor shall continue to dialogue and share information with the Supreme Court, Indigent Defense Commission, Attorney General, and Chairmen of the House and Senate Courts of Justice Committees, shall continue to study and evaluate all available options to enhance Virginia's Indigent Defense System. to consider the appropriate funding levels for court-appointed attorneys.