The Senate is continuing to debate its FY14 budget this
afternoon. Yesterday, May 22, the Senate adopted an amendment
granting an additional $1 million for the Massachusetts Legal
Assistance Corporation bringing its FY14 funding to $13 million, a
$1 million increase from FY13 funding. The House similarly approved
$13 million for MLAC -- making it likely that this line item will
not surface when a conference committee convenes to iron out the
differences in respective budgets. Therefore, the legal community
will advocate that Gov. Deval L. Patrick sign the $13 million
increase when it arrives on his desk.
Still pending is an amendment that would give a compensation
increase to the commonwealth's judges. The Senate budget amendment
proposes trial court justices to $144, 694 effective July 1, 2014;
$154,694 effective January 1, 2015; and $159,964 effective July 1,
2015.
The Senate is expected to wrap up its debate on the FY14 budget
later today.