JUDICIAL BRANCH REORGANIZATION SHIFTS RESOURCES TO FRONTLINE SERVICES, PRESERVES SPECIALTY COURTS

JUDICIAL BRANCH REORGANIZATION SHIFTS RESOURCES TO FRONTLINE SERVICES,

PRESERVES SPECIALTY COURTS

Administrative Office of the Courts testimony highlights restructuring, expanded frontline staffing and continued specialty court operations 

FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 7, 2026) — Representatives from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) told lawmakers recently that Kentucky's judicial branch is implementing a statewide reorganization. The plan is to reduce administrative overhead, strengthen frontline services and preserve core court operations under the budget enacted earlier this year.

Appearing before the Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary, co-chaired by Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer on July 1, AOC officials described a restructuring proposal that shifts resources away from bureaucratic central-office positions and toward direct services, while generating an estimated $3 million in general fund savings. Officials emphasized that the goal is to improve operations without affecting core court functions or other important services offered.

"Our focus had to be where we have some discretion around these programs, but also where we could achieve meaningful savings," AOC Director Zach Ramsey told the committee. He said the reorganization will "enhance our frontline services within those programs and create other efficiencies that we think are actually going to make these programs operate more efficiently in the future."

According to AOC, the reorganization reduces leadership positions within the Office of Statewide Programs from 12 percent of the workforce to 6 percent, while increasing frontline support positions from 4 percent to 6 percent and frontline operational positions from 84 percent to 88 percent. The restructuring eliminates 170 positions, primarily middle-management roles, but creates 109 new positions to support a regional service delivery model and strengthen frontline operations. It has already resulted in 110 employees being offered or accepting new positions.

Committee members also revisited concerns raised earlier this year about specialty courts. 

During the 2026 Legislative Session discussion of House Bill (HB) 504, Kentucky's judicial branch expressed concern about specialty courts and argued they faced elimination and that "significant layoffs" would be necessary under the enacted budget.

During the meeting, AOC officials reported that specialty court programs are continuing to operate.

Officials testified that state-funded treatment court contracts have been eliminated, but treatment services themselves are continuing through Medicaid and other existing healthcare resources. They said the agency is also working with community mental health centers and other partners to identify additional support for participants who may not qualify for Medicaid.

Drug testing also will continue, with AOC working alongside judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys to reduce costs while maintaining nationally recognized best practices and protecting public safety.

The committee also heard details of additional operational improvements affecting Family and Juvenile Services and Pretrial Services.

Officials testified that AOC will establish dedicated second-and third-shift court-designated worker positions to provide more consistent overnight and weekend coverage, reduce burdensome on-call schedules, and improve responsiveness to judges and court partners. The agency also plans to cross-train pretrial staff to provide judges with more complete and consistent information when making bail determinations.

When asked whether the previous anticipated outcome had been less significant than initially anticipated, Ramsey said, "It's not significant. We don't anticipate that it will be."

Likewise, when committee members asked if any specialty courts had been eliminated, officials responded that "the programs were not eliminated," explaining that staffing had been reduced in some areas and treatment contracts restructured while services continue.

HB 504 increased overall funding for the judicial branch while directing that constitutional court functions be prioritized. Legislative budget documents also noted that the budget does not mandate layoffs or the elimination of specialty courts, leaving operational decisions to the judicial branch to prioritize and improve efficiency to best support its constitutional responsibilities and functions. 

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Please visit Legislature.ky.gov for information on Senate Majority Caucus members, legislative committees, and additional resources, including legislation enacted during the 2026 Legislative Session.

Lawmakers returned to Frankfort in June to start the 2026 Interim. During this period, committees will meet to study policy issues, review implementation of recently passed legislation, and begin evaluating proposals for the 2027 30-day session, which begins Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027.

Live coverage of interim legislative meetings is available at KET.org/legislature and on the LRC YouTube channel.