Nevada Senate OK's more court fees to drug courts

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- People going through Nevada's court system would have to pay an extra $7 in fees to help fund the state's specialty courts, under a bill given final legislative approval Wednesday.

The increase included in AB29, now headed to the governor for his signature, would help fund specialty drug and mental health courts in urban and rural areas.

Washoe County District Judge Peter Breen had told lawmakers previously that the increased funding is essential to maintain evolving court programs.

Breen also said that since their inception, specialty courts have saved the state money by diverting about 4,000 people from its prison system. He said just 20 percent of program graduates re-offend, compared with an 80 percent rate for people who don't go through the program.

AB29 also increases administrative assessments by $10 to go directly to the Administrative Office of the Courts, the administrative arm of the Nevada Supreme Court.

More than a third of the high court's funding comes from assessments, but the collections have shrunk and are down 17 percent during the current fiscal year, according to Supreme Court Chief Justice Deborah Agosti.