(a) There is in the State Treasury the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund. The State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund is the successor fund of the Trial Court Improvement Fund and the Judicial Administration Efficiency and Modernization Fund. All assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenditures of the Trial Court Improvement Fund and the Judicial Administration Efficiency and Modernization Fund shall be transferred to and become a part of the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund. Any reference in state law to the Trial Court Improvement Fund or the Judicial Administration Efficiency and Modernization Fund shall be construed to refer to the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund.

(b) Any funds in the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund that are unencumbered at the end of the fiscal year shall be reappropriated to the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund for the following fiscal year.

(c) Moneys deposited in the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund shall be placed in an interest-bearing account. Any interest earned shall accrue to the fund and shall be disbursed pursuant to subdivision (d).

(d) Moneys deposited in the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund may be disbursed for purposes of this section.

(e) Moneys deposited in the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund pursuant to Section 68090.8 shall be allocated by the Judicial Council for automated administrative system improvements pursuant to that section and in furtherance of former Rule 991 of the California Rules of Court, as it read on July 1, 1996. As used in this subdivision, “automated administrative system” does not include electronic reporting systems for use in a courtroom.

(f) Moneys deposited in the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund shall be administered by the Judicial Council. The Judicial Council may, with appropriate guidelines, delegate to the Administrative Director of the Courts the administration of the fund. Moneys in the fund may be expended to implement trial court projects approved by the Judicial Council. Expenditures may be made to vendors or individual trial courts that have the responsibility to implement approved projects.

(g) Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, the 2-percent automation fund moneys deposited in the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund pursuant to Section 68090.8 shall be allocated by the Judicial Council to statewide initiatives related to trial court automation and their implementation. The Judicial Council shall allocate the remainder of the moneys deposited in the Trial Court Improvement Fund as specified in this section.

For the purposes of this subdivision, “2-percent automation fund” means the fund established pursuant to Section 68090.8 as it read on June 30, 1996. As used in this subdivision, “statewide initiatives related to trial court automation and their implementation” does not include electronic reporting systems for use in a courtroom.

(h) Royalties received from the publication of uniform jury instructions shall be deposited in the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund and used for the improvement of the jury system.

(i) The Judicial Council shall present an annual report to the Legislature on the use of the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund. The report shall include appropriate recommendations.

(j) Each fiscal year, the Controller shall transfer thirteen million three hundred ninety-seven thousand dollars ($13,397,000) from the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund to the Trial Court Trust Fund for allocation to trial courts for court operations.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 41, Sec. 60. (SB 1021) Effective June 27, 2012. Conditionally inoperative as provided in Section 77400.)