Judicial Council Awards Mid-Year American Rescue Plan Act Grant to Macon Judicial Circuit
Judicial Council Awards Mid-Year American Rescue Plan Act Grant to Macon Judicial Circuit
Atlanta – The Judicial Council of Georgia Ad Hoc Committee on ARPA Funding (“Committee”) has awarded an additional $400,943, effective June 1, 2023, to the Macon Judicial Circuit. The Committee has previously awarded more than $54 million to 39 judicial circuits (including Macon) for calendar year 2023 funding.
As with 21 other circuits which received mid-year grants, the award to the Macon Judicial Circuit includes funding for audio-visual equipment modernization in existing courtrooms to its current backlog response plan. Approved as a new eligible expenditure by the Committee beginning in the calendar year 2023 mid-year award cycle, almost $13 million has been awarded for audio-visual equipment modernization in compliance with the Committee’s Audio-Visual Equipment Modernization Policy. Approved expenses in this category include evidence presentation tools, assisted listening systems, video conferencing and remote appearance systems, improved court reporting interfaces, and general audio and video improvements aimed at assisting the circuits in reducing their backlog of serious violent felony cases.
Previous awards to judicial circuits have otherwise included funding for temporary personnel to respond to the case backlog, such as senior judges, judges to serve by designation, court clerks, prosecutors, security personnel, investigators, victim support staff, and court reporters; rental costs for temporary space to hold court; supplies and materials; mandatory education and training for certain personnel; and staff to support grant administration.
“Over half of the circuits receiving awards in calendar year 2023 now have funds available to modernize equipment in their existing courtrooms, which will help make these spaces better equipped to efficiently respond to case backlogs,” said Supreme Court of Georgia Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs, Chair of the Judicial Council and the ARPA Committee. “I appreciate the diligence of the circuits in adding these components to their backlog response plans, and the dedication of the Committee to seeing these funds disseminated and put to good use around the State.”
A complete list of CY 2023 grantees and award amounts is attached. Funding decisions are based on demonstrated need as long as funding remains available. The Committee is scheduled to accept applications for CY 2024 funding in September 2023. More information on grant requirements, Committee policies, frequently asked questions, application timelines, and contact information is available at https://jcaoc.georgiacourts.gov/arpa/.
Background on Judicial ARPA Funding
Georgia’s judiciary operated under a Statewide Judicial Emergency Order from March 2020 through June 2021. The order placed necessary limitations on court operations to protect the health and safety of those working in and coming to courthouses during this time but also resulted in a backlog of criminal and civil cases, particularly those requiring jury trials to resolve.
In October 2021, Gov. Brian P. Kemp announced the allocation to the judicial branch of $110 million of ARPA funds to address backlogs of court cases, particularly cases involving serious violent felonies. The Judicial Council is administering $96 million of that total for eligible courts, prosecutors, and related agencies. The remaining $14 million in ARPA funds was allocated to the Georgia Public Defender Council for grants to public defenders.
The Committee, chaired by Supreme Court of Georgia Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs, is overseeing the application process for the grants, and the Judicial Council’s Administrative Office of the Courts is facilitating the grant application, award, compliance, and reporting processes. The funds are awarded on a calendar year basis and all funds allocated to the judicial branch must be spent by December 31, 2024.
Judicial Council of Georgia
Ad Hoc Committee on American Rescue Plan Act Funding – CY 2023 Awards
June 2, 2023
| Circuit | CY 2023 Cycle 1 Award Amounts | CY 2023 Cycle 2 Grant Requests | CY 2023 Cycle 2 Award Amounts | CY 2023 Cumulative Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget as approved by Committee | $39,476,327 | $15,371,004 | $15,371,004 | $54,847,331 |
| Alapaha | ||||
| Alcovy | $266,384 | $805,000 | $805,000 | $1,071,384 |
| Appalachian | $1,710,892 | $404,403 | $404,403 | $2,115,295 |
| Atlanta | ||||
| Atlantic | $1,515,207 | $925,527 | $925,527 | $2,440,734 |
| Augusta | $2,000,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $2,500,000 |
| Bell-Forsyth | ||||
| Blue Ridge | $97,290 | $1,315,931 | $1,315,931 | $1,413,221 |
| Brunswick | $993,314 | $1,140,350 | $1,140,350 | $2,133,664 |
| Chattahoochee | $1,977,991 | $99,336 | $99,336 | $2,077,327 |
| Cherokee | $1,087,538 | $1,087,538 | ||
| Clayton – Cycle 2 application withdrawn | ||||
| Cobb | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | ||
| Columbia | $1,011,758 | $353,000 | $353,000 | $1,364,758 |
| Conasauga | $239,582 | $150,000 | $150,000 | $389,582 |
| Cordele | ||||
| Coweta | $1,999,801 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $2,499,801 |
| Dougherty | ||||
| Douglas | $894,830 | $894,830 | ||
| Dublin | $607,260 | $607,260 | ||
| Eastern | ||||
| Enotah | $1,999,662 | $1,999,662 | ||
| Flint | $1,370,631 | $1,370,631 | $1,370,631 | |
| Griffin | $1,135,685 | $1,035,540 | $1,035,540 | $2,171,225 |
| Gwinnett | $1,999,792 | $499,998 | $499,998 | $2,499,790 |
| Houston | ||||
| Lookout Mountain | $625,661 | $625,661 | ||
| Macon | $1,246,466 | $400,943 | $400,943 | $1,647,409 |
| Middle | ||||
| Mountain | $364,080 | $880,987 | $880,987 | $1,245,067 |
| Northeastern | $1,988,000 | $512,000 | $512,000 | $2,500,000 |
| Northern | $669,069 | $669,069 | ||
| Ocmulgee | $242,595 | $448,126 | $448,126 | $690,721 |
| Oconee | $982,839 | $982,839 | ||
| Ogeechee | $1,418,082 | $611,186 | $611,186 | $2,029,268 |
| Pataula | $132,257 | $132,257 | $132,257 | |
| Paulding | $1,298,033 | $364,441 | $364,441 | $1,662,474 |
| Piedmont | $62,530 | $62,530 | ||
| Rockdale | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | ||
| Rome | ||||
| South Georgia | $213,248 | $659,787 | $659,787 | $873,035 |
| Southern | ||||
| Southwestern | $332,816 | $332,816 | ||
| Stone Mountain | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | ||
| Tallapoosa | $960,239 | $960,239 | ||
| Tifton | $163,603 | $16,753 | $16,753 | $180,356 |
| Toombs | $499,457 | $430,000 | $430,000 | $929,457 |
| Towaliga | $643,998 | $643,998 | ||
| Waycross | $904,836 | $1,207,971 | $1,207,971 | $2,112,807 |
| Western | $1,323,789 | $1,007,780 | $1,007,780 | $2,331,569 |
| $39,476,327 | $15,771,947 | $15,771,947 | $55,248,274 |
Note: All reported amounts are subject to change based on grant awards that were made conditionally pending pre-approval of select items by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, subsequent changes to eligible expenses by OPB and/or the Committee, or based on other Committee adjustments.
For more information:
Bruce Shaw
bruce.shaw@georgiacourts.gov
470-585-2781