2023 Annual Report:

• Clerk Priority Bill Passes in Effort to Stabilize Budget

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Clerks statewide have been challenged with how our services are funded, but for the second straight year the state legislature heard our concerns and passed our priority bill. House Bill 397 Court Fiscal Administration by Rep. Clemons went into effect in July 2022. 
            2. This bill was part of the Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers (FCCC) legislative priorities which provides additional policy changes to help Clerks continue to serve their constituents and support the court system.
               1. Among other changes, the bill established a new reimbursement process in statute for certain mental health and substance abuse cases that have no filing fee. 
               2. This bill also allows Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation (CCOC) to request additional funds for Clerk support when new judges are approved by the Legislature; authorizes Clerks to review vehicle and property records to confirm civil indigency application status; and finally, provides additional standardization to the setup of payment plans for court-ordered financial obligations.
      2. 2022 Annual Report:

• Clerk’s At Your Service Priorities Passes

1. 1. 1. 1. Clerks statewide have had an ongoing challenge with how our offices are funded, and because of our unique funding structure, we were hit especially hard from the impacts of COVID-19. Facing significant budget reductions, Clerks of Courts worked tirelessly to keep critical services available.
         2. In response, we brought forward several key solutions to partner with the Legislature to start stabilizing services and move towards a long-term solution. We are grateful the Legislature heard our concerns and passed two key provisions that will make significant progress toward addressing our funding issues:
            1. • Senate Bill 838 was passed and signed into law, authorizing Clerks to maintain responsible statewide reserves, carry forward certain revenues from year to year, and promote payment plans to help more people pay their obligations and reduce driver license suspensions.
            2. • Also, the legislature provided a one-year allocation of $6.25 million in emergency funds for the Clerks of Court Pandemic Recovery Plan to assist with the backlog of cases due to the pandemic.

1. 1. 2021 Annual Report:

• Emergency Relief Funding Returned

1. 1. 1. The pandemic created a major financial challenge for Clerks of Court access across the state. The Clerk’s Office requested $1.5 million in emergency relief funding from the Orange County Board of Commissioners. But with conservative spending practices, limited hiring, and Federal CARE act reimbursements, Clerk Russell was able to return $1.3 million in emergency aid to the county.