State lawmakers have refused to cover a $48 million gap for a new Kapolei court complex but agreed last night to give the state Judiciary $6 million to purchase land to one day expand the complex to its original blueprint.

The state Legislature approved $95 million last session for the complex and some lawmakers were stunned when court officials, blaming higher construction costs, asked for another $48 million this session to complete the project.

The courts have an agreement with Campbell Estate to acquire about 15 acres for the complex, but without the extra money will be forced to downsize and will lose about four acres of free land because the Campbell deal involved a complex of a specific size. The $6 million approved last night by House and Senate budget conferees would help the courts buy the four acres from Campbell Estate. Court officials could then come back in future years and ask the Legislature for more construction money to build the rest of the project.

"People told us it was just too large an amount of money," said state Sen. Brian Taniguchi, D-10th (Manoa, McCully), chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Thomas Keller, administrative director for the state courts, said plans are to move ahead with a scaled-back project that will include a 120,000-square-foot Family Court complex and a 70,000-square-foot juvenile detention center. The original Family Court complex was about 260,000 square feet, and the smaller project means court officials will not be able to transfer as many administrative functions from downtown as they had planned.

The courts have sought a new complex for years to replace the overcrowded Family Court and aging juvenile detention center downtown. Keller said he knew obtaining the additional $48 million would be tough after lawmakers reluctantly signed off on the $95 million last session.

State Rep. Mark Moses, R-40th (Makakilo, Kapolei, Royal Kunia), has supported the new complex to bring more jobs and government services to Kapolei. "It shows the state's commitment to the Second City," he said.

Budget conferees worked late last night and reached agreement on much of the operating budget, leaving decisions on the construction budget and state bonds for tonight. Lawmakers put aside about $20 million to $30 million for tax relief but Taniguchi said there is the flexibility to go higher depending on the outcome of other bills that have financial components.

Conferees agreed to spend an additional $20 million to help public schools make the transition to a new student spending formula and $1 million for the state schools superintendent to make other adjustments related to the formula. Lawmakers are also likely to approve money for emergency storm damage and to stockpile medicine to combat a potential avian flu outbreak.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.