At Your Service

SUPPORT HB 903 and SB 838 TO BEGIN FIXING THE SYSTEM THAT FUNDS CLERK SERVICES!

tHe system that funds Clerk services is broken

Florida’s Clerks of Court provide services that have a positive impact on your community. From processing injunctions that protect vulnerable populations to ensuring timely access to records, Clerks are at your service.

But the way Clerk services are funded – by fines, fees, and court costs – is not sustainable. These funding sources have significantly declined, causing the system that funds our services to collapse. With revenues that no longer match services, added duties to ensure public safety and no ability to carry reserves, Clerks are on a budget roller coaster that is heading off the tracks. This impacts our ability to serve you.

Clerk Budgets Have Declined $50.6 Million Over 8 Years

Today, critical services are at risk

Many Clerks of Court have been forced to reduce office hours and cut staff, leading to delays in critical services. Although Clerks faced nearly 50% budget reductions in one quarter due to COVID-19, this problem is not new.

Together, we can fix this issue

Florida’s Clerks of Court and Comptrollers are rallying behind the At Your Service priorities captured in HB 903 (Barnaby) and SB 838 (Boyd) to begin the process of fixing the system. This year, Florida’s Clerks seek to work with the Legislature on a few key solutions:

Better stability by authorizing Clerks to carry responsible statewide reserves to help plan for emergencies, such as COVID-19.
Improved procedures that allow Clerks to carry forward revenues from year to year and to submit funding requests for deficits and services that fall outside normal revenue streams.
Enhanced payment options to encourage timely fulfillment of financial obligations and help reduce driver license suspensions.