After nearly three years of litigation, the Pasco County Clerk's Office and Pasco County have reached a settlement agreement regarding funding for the multi-agency criminal justice information system (CJIS).
The County will make a one-time payment of $1,024,069 to reimburse past CJIS expenses and has agreed to a new process for future budget requests.
The dispute arose in 2021 when the Clerk's Office filed suit seeking clarity on statutory funding obligations due to the County's resistance to fully fund CJIS and the Clerk's Office operating expenses for the West Pasco Judicial Center.
While the court ruled against the Clerk's Office on funding for the West Pasco Judicial Center, it affirmed the County's ongoing obligation to fully fund CJIS.
Clerk Nikki Alvarez-Sowles expressed satisfaction with the resolution, emphasizing the collaborative efforts between her office and the Board of County Commissioners.
“Both sides had legitimate and difficult questions as to what the law required. This settlement agreement is the result of the collaborative efforts between my Office and the Board of County Commissioners,” said Alvarez-Sowles. “I am happy to close this chapter and move forward," said Alvarez-Sowles.
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