Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced
Utah SB 213 Raises the jurisdictional limit for small claims court for breach of contract actions to $15,000. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity
Indiana HB 1322 Specifies that circuit courts, superior courts, and probate courts have original and concurrent jurisdiction under certain provisions of the Indiana Code. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/25/16.
Hawaii SB 2101 AS AMENDED: Establishes small claims division's exclusive jurisdiction of cases for amounts of $1,000 or less. Approved as amended by Senate Ways & Means Committee 2/24/16.
Ohio HB 387 Increases small claims jurisdiction from $3,000 to $6,000. Approved b
Utah SB 181 Provides that, in a legal action filed against a county, a district court judge of the defendant county may transfer venue to any county contiguous to the defendant. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/23/16.
West Virginia SB 274 ORIGINAL: Increases civil jurisdictional amount in magistrate courts from $5,000 to $30,000. AMENDED: Increases only to $10,000. Approved as amended by full Senate 2/24/16.
Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced
Missouri HB 2610 Allows persons who serve at least two years in the Missouri General Assembly to practice law as an attorney or become an associate or a circuit court judge. In House (no committee
Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity
Florida HJR 197 (Constitutional Amendment) ORIGINAL: Creates retroactive term limits for appellate judges. Prohibits service of more than two terms. AMENDED: Specifies provisions are not retroactive. Approved by full House 2/24/16.
Indiana SB 81 Allows a senior judge or a judge pro tempore serving in a county that has more than one superior court judge to, with the consent of any judge of a superior court in the county, sit as the judge of the superior court in any matter as if the senior judge or judge pro tempore were the elected judge or appointed judge of the superior court. Senate concurs with House amendment 2/23/16. To Governor for approval.
Mississippi SB 2660 Provides judge must have served at least 6 years (down from 8 years) to be considered for senior status judge Approved by full Senate 2/25/16.
Oklahoma HB 2339 Creates prospective mandatory retirement age for appellate judges of 75. Approved by House Appropriations and Budget Judiciary Subcommittee 2/22/16.
Virginia HB 1245 HOUSE: Broadens the age 73 mandatory retirement provision to include all judges regardless of when elected by the General Assembly. SENATE: Same, but only takes effect June 1, 2017. Approved by full Senate 2/29/16. To House to concur with Senate amendment.
Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced
South Carolina HB 4981 Grants prosecutors control over court’s criminal docket. Provides prosecutors “should not be restrained or controlled by another branch of government” in terms of docket control. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina SB 1126 Grants prosecutors control over court’s criminal docket. Provides prosecutors “should not be restrained or controlled by another branch of government” in terms of docket control. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity
Arizona HB 2219 Establishes the Supreme Court as the entity responsible for licensing attorneys for the practice of law in Arizona and specifies membership of any organization is not required for attorneys to become or remain a licensed attorney in Arizona. Rejected by full House 2/24/16
Arizona HB 2221 Establishes the Supreme Court as the entity responsible for regulation of attorneys. Specifies limited reasons Supreme Court may collect assessment/fees from attorneys. Approved by full House 2/25/16.
Arizona HCM 2002 Urges Supreme Court to modify its rules related to the State Bar of Arizona to ensure the protection of First Amendment freedoms. Approved by full House 2/24/16.
New Hampshire CACR 13 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides that the chief justice of the supreme court shall make rules governing employees of the courts and the practice and procedure to be followed in the courts. Strikes provision that such rules "shall have the force and effect of law." Advanced without recommendation on 8-8- vote by House Judiciary Committee 2/25/16
Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced
Alaska HB 340 Alters amount of retirement pay received by certain justices and judges under the judicial retirement system. In House Finance Committee.
Connecticut HB 5448 Allows Probate Court judges and employees to aggregate their service time in the probate judges and employees retirement system and the municipal employees' retirement system and to allow cost-of-living adjustments to continue to accrue during certain public employees' terms of reemployment. In Joint Committee on Labor and Public Employees.
Iowa SB 2263 Permits the collection of court debt by the clerk of the court of appeals and the clerk of the supreme court. In Senate Judiciary Committee
New Jersey AB 3114 Provides no local government officer or employee shall discuss with any municipal court judge or any candidate for a municipal court judgeship the local government agency’s need for or reliance upon municipal court revenues. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity
Georgia HB 508 Provides appellate judge must reach age 60 (currently 65) in order to receive certain optional benefits. Approved by full House 2/26/16.
Georgia HB 738 Allows excess court law library funds to be used to purchase software, equipment, fixtures, or furnishings for the office of the district attorney or solicitor-general or for county judicial facilities, including but not limited to courtrooms and jury rooms. Approved by Senate Special Judiciary Committee 2/25/16.
Georgia HB 939 Revise the procedures for the transfer of setoffs by the Administrative Office of the Courts to the court to whom the debt is owed. Approved by full House 2/25/16.
Hawaii SB 2244 Provides that a member of the employees' retirement system who first earned credited service as a judge after June 30, 2016, and has at least twelve years of credited service and attained age sixty, or has at least twenty-five years of credited service and has attained age fifty-five is eligible to receive a pension after retirement. Reduces the retirement allowance for a member who first earned credited service as a judge after June 30, 2016, to two per cent of the member's average final compensation, reduced for each month the member's age at the date of retirement is below age sixty. Approved by Senate Ways and Means Committee 2/24/16.
Missouri SB 1012 Allows any single noncharter county judicial circuit to collect a court surcharge to be used towards the maintenance and construction of judicial facilities Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/25/16.
Oregon HB 4093 Allows presiding judge of judicial district to impose a $5 surcharge on parking and traffic violations, if county receives Article XI - Q bond proceeds for county courthouse repair or replacement. Requires county commissioners to request surcharge and requires Chief Justice approval of the surcharge. Requires a copy of the order for surcharge to be delivered to State Court Administrator by July 1 of each year for application in following year. Requires participating county to establish a courthouse surcharge account and deposit surcharge revenue into that account. Approved by House Ways and Means Committee 2/26/16.
Selection: Newly Introduced
Connecticut HB 5389 Requests study of public financing for Probate Court races. In Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections.
West Virginia SB 697 Clarifies if judicial election financial statements are to be filed with secretary of state our clerk of county commission. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Selection: Floor and Committee Activity
Mississippi HB 130 Provides municipal clerks in code charter municipalities to be appointed by executive. Approved by House Municipalities Committee 2/23/16.
Oklahoma HB 3162 (Constitutional Amendment) AS AMENDED: Provides Judicial Nomination Commission members chosen by governor and legislature (8/15) serve at pleasure of appointing authority. Provides JNC to send all names to governor with scores of 1-10. Requires Senate confirmation for nominees. Approved by House Government Oversight and Accountability Committee 2/24/16.
Oklahoma SB 770 Subjects Judicial Nominating Commission meetings to Open Meeting Act. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/23/16.
Washington SJR 8205 (Constitutional Amendment) Requires justices of the Supreme Court be elected by district. Moved to Rules X Files (killed for session) 2/25/16.
West Virginia HB 4725 Specifies if the unexpired term of a judicial office is for a period of more than two years the position it to be filled by governor initially by the governor and then by election for the remainder of the term. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/24/16.
Structure Changes: Newly Introduced
Connecticut HB 5476 Requires creation of drug courts/drug dockets in all courts. In Joint Committee on Judiciary
Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity
Arizona HB 2537 Expands supreme court from 5 to 7 members. Approved by full House 2/24/16.
Kentucky SB 8 (Constitutional Amendment) ORIGINAL: Requires the Supreme Court to analyze and propose adjustments to the Commonwealth's judicial circuits and districts and the judicial assignments therein to account for population changes and caseloads in the same years as legislative redistricting is required. Requires Supreme Court do same for its own districts, based on population only. AMENDED: Provides elect Circuit Court Clerks and Commonwealth's Attorneys to four-year terms in 2018 and to elect them to eight-year terms in 2022 and every eight years thereafter Approved as amended by Senate State & Local Government Committee 2/24/16.
Mississippi HB 868 Revises Supreme Court districts. Approved by full House 2/24/16.
Washington SB 5449 Creates a tax division of the Court of Appeals. Moved to Rules X Files (killed for session) 2/25/16.
Other: Newly Introduced
Connecticut HB 5495 Increases penalties for threatening a judge. In Joint Committee on Judiciary.
New Jersey AB 3340 Provides parties offering public remarks before Senate committee concerning qualifications of Superior Court judge nominees, upon motion, change of venue on family actions, to vicinage other than vicinage where nominee is assigned if confirmed. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Rhode Island SB 2505 Removes the thirty day mail notice requirement which must be provided to those owing overdue court fees due prior to their names being published. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Other: Floor and Committee Activity
Georgia HB 1027 Provides that by court rule or standing order, any superior or state court may provide for the filing of pleadings and any other documents and for the acceptance of payments and remittances by electronic means. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/24/16.
Georgia HB 808 Vacates current Judicial Qualifications Commission and creates new one. Approval contingent on passage of constitutional amendment. Approved by full House 2/22/16.
Georgia HB 957 Requires that the judges and clerks of the probate courts publicly post notice of the availability of the affidavit of indigence. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/25/16.
Georgia HR 1113 (Constitutional Amendment) Vacates current Judicial Qualifications Commission and creates new one. Grants legislature power to establish Commission and set composition and proceedings. Approved by full House 2/22/16.
Georgia HR 1363 Creates House Special Study Committee on Judicial Qualifications Commission Reform. Approved by full House 2/24/16.
Georgia SB 332 Clarifies the judges and Justices who are exempt from various weapons carry laws and prohibitions. Approved by full Senate 2/26/16.
Georgia SB 400 Allows clerks to utilize vendors of their choice for back-up records rather than Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. Approved by Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee 2/25/16.
Idaho HB 491 Bans filing of nonconsensual common law liens against judges and others. Approved by full House 2/25/16.
Indiana HB 1047 Permits the Indiana Judicial Center to establish a Circuit and Superior Court Motion Clerk Pilot Program to provide assistance to courts with preparing orders for complex motions. House concurs with Senate amendment 2/22/16 To Governor for approval.
Kansas SB 440 Amends or repeals approximately 70 statutes related to Judicial Branch operations including matters such as the appointment, compensation, duties, and qualifications of Judicial Branch personnel; the treatment of records, papers, and documents held by the Judicial Branch; the powers, duties, and selection of judges and justices; the delegation of certain roles and activities within the Judicial Branch; and budgeting procedures for district courts Approved by full Senate 2/23/16.
Mississippi HB 571 Defines "courthouse" and "courtroom" for purposes of law allowing for carrying of firearms into courthouses but not courtrooms. Approved by House Judiciary B Committee 2/22/16.
Mississippi SB 2314 Requires the administrative office of courts to furnish case data to the office of state public defender. Approved by full Senate 2/25/16.
New Hampshire HJR 4 Requires payment of $42,500, plus interest at 10 percent per annum compounded daily, to Joseph Haas. Said sum shall be a charge against the faithful performance bond of the supreme court clerk Rejected by House Finance Committee 2/23/16.
New Hampshire HJR 6 Requires payment of the sum of $150 to Edward Brown. Said sum shall be a charge against the faithful performance bond of the superior court clerk. Rejected by House Finance Committee 2/23/16.
Virginia HB 442 ORIGINAL: Allows the Judicial Council to determine when the circuit courts are open subject to the current allowances in the Code for holidays and safety concerns. SENATE AMENDMENT: "the provisions of this act shall not be construed to empower the Judicial Council to set the hours of operation of a circuit court clerk’s office." Approved by full House 2/24/16. To Governor for approval.
Virginia SB 590 Allows the Judicial Council to determine when the circuit courts are open subject to the current allowances in the Code for holidays and safety concerns. Provides that the provisions of this act shall not be construed to empower the Judicial Council to set the hours of operation of a circuit court clerk's office. Approved by full Senate 2/26/16. To Senate to concur with House amendment.
Washington SB 6255 ORIGINAL: Requires judges recuse in cases in which they received $50 from party/attorney/lawfirm in prior 3 years. AMENDED: Requests judicial disciplinary commission create rule for mandatory recusal for $1000 in contributions. Moved to Rules X Files (killed for session) 2/25/16.