Legislators back extra money for court aides

— A legislative panel has endorsed transferring $150,000 from other funds to continue paying trial court assistants from around Arkansas for the next two months.

The Joint Budget Committee on Tuesday advanced legislation by Democratic Sen. Bruce Maloch of Magnolia that would transfer money to the fund that pays the salaries for the court assistants.

The proposal calls for transferring $100,000 from the unobligated portion of the County Juror Reimbursement Fund and $50,000 in unobligated money from the Municipal Court Judge and Municipal Court Education Fund.

Sen. Larry Teague, the co-chairman of the panel, said the proposal would keep the assistants funded for 60 days while lawmakers try to find a permanent solution to a shortfall in the fund.

The measure heads to the Senate for a vote.

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