Public administrators: compensation.

Existing law regulates the administration of estates of decedents and permits the public administrator, an officer of a county, to be appointed to administer these estates under certain circumstances. Existing law grants public administrators a variety of powers in this regard, including the right to take control of a decedent's property and summarily dispose of property, as specified. Existing law establishes the compensation payable to the public administrator and the attorney, if any, for the public administrator for the filing of an application to summarily dispose of a decedent's estate that does not exceed a specified total value and for the performance of any duty or service connected with that filing. Existing law entitles the public administrator to a minimum compensation of $1,000. This bill would increase the minimum compensation to $1,600. The bill would require the Judicial Council to increase that minimum compensation based on the California Consumer Price Index every 3 years.