Alabama's chief justice expects to lay off 150 employees after the state's new fiscal year starts Oct. 1 unless the court system gets more money than the Legislature appropriated.
Chief Justice Roy Moore says he's grateful that the General Fund signed by the governor on Monday increases the court system's appropriation by $5.6 million to $108 million for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1.
But he says that is $8.5 million short of what's needed to maintain the current staff.
The new budget includes a provision that allows the governor to release extra funding to some state programs if tax collections exceed expectations. It specifies that if he wants to release any money, he must give $8.5 million to the courts first.