(1)To be eligible for
moneys from the fund, a county must apply to the commission through the state
court administrator, using the application form provided by the commission, in
accordance with the timelines and guidelines adopted by the commission. For the
commission to consider a grant application, the application must first be reviewed
and approved by the chief judge of the county and the board of county
commissioners.
(2)(a) Grants from the fund may only be used to fund counties that meet the
requirements set forth in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2) and the criteria
specified in subsection (4) of this section to:
(I)Commission master planning services;
(II)Serve as matching funds or leverage grant funding opportunities; or
(III)Address emergency needs due to the
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(1) To be eligible for
moneys from the fund, a county must apply to the commission through the state
court administrator, using the application form provided by the commission, in
accordance with the timelines and guidelines adopted by the commission. For the
commission to consider a grant application, the application must first be reviewed
and approved by the chief judge of the county and the board of county
commissioners.
(2) (a) Grants from the fund may only be used to fund counties that meet the
requirements set forth in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2) and the criteria
specified in subsection (4) of this section to:
(I) Commission master planning services;
(II) Serve as matching funds or leverage grant funding opportunities; or
(III) Address emergency needs due to the imminent closure of a court
facility.
(b) Grants from the fund may only be awarded to a county when:
(I) The county has demonstrated good faith in attempting to resolve the
issues before seeking a grant from the fund;
(II) The county has agreed to disclose pertinent financial statements to the
commission or the state court administrator for review; and
(III) The state court administrator is satisfied that the county does not have
significant uncommitted reserves.
(c) Grants from the fund may not supplant any county funding for a county
that has the means to support its court facility.
(d) The approval of a grant shall not result in the state or commission
assuming ownership or liability for a county courthouse or other county facility that
houses county offices and employees. The county shall continue to have ownership
and liability for all such facilities.
(e) Once a county is awarded a grant, the county shall complete the project
as designated and described in the grant award.
(f) The commission shall develop a compliance review process to ensure that
counties are using each grant as specified in the grant award.
(3) Counties that meet all four of the criteria specified in subsection (4) of
this section must be given the highest priority for need-based grants for
underfunded courthouse facilities pursuant to this part 3.
(4) Counties that meet at least two of the following criteria qualify for need-based grants for underfunded courthouse facilities pursuant to this part 3:
(a) Counties in which the total population is below the state median, as
determined by the most recent data published by the department of local affairs;
(b) Counties in which the per capita income is below the state median, as
determined by the most recent data published by the department of local affairs;
(c) Counties in which property tax revenues are below the state median, as
determined by the most recent data published by the department of local affairs; or
(d) Counties in which the total county population living below the federal
poverty line is greater than the state median, as determined by the most recent
census published by the United States bureau of the census.