Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced
Kansas HB 2741 Provides challenges to school financing levels are to go to a panel of 3 randomly selected active district court judges (currently, panel is made of 3 current or retired judges chosen by chief judge of court of appeals). In House Appropriations Committee.
Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity
Arizona HB 2201 Prohibits state courts from enforcing "federal actions" including federal court decisions unless decisions approved by Congress and/or state legislature. Approved by Senate Committee of the Whole 3/31/16.
Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced
NONE
Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity
Colorado SB 153 Encourages judicial district nominating commissions to give preference to attorneys who reside in the county in which the vacancy occurs Approved by full Senate 3/31/16.
Maryland SB 502 (Constitutional Amendment) AS AMENDED: Increases mandatory retirement age for newly elected judges from 70 to 73. Provides sitting judges may only receive 3 extra years with permission of governor. Approved by full Senate 3/29/16.
Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced
NONE
Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced
California AB 2458 Authorizes a trial court to petition the Department of Finance to carry over funds in an amount greater than 1% of the court’s operating budget from the prior fiscal year. In Assembly (no committee).
Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity
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. Tabled by full Senate 3/22/16.
Hawaii HCR 154 Requests study of creation of separate medical and pension benefit plans for judges and justices. Approved by House Finance Committee 3/22/16.
Hawaii HR 154 Requests study of creation of separate medical and pension benefit plans for judges and justices. Approved by House Finance Committee 3/22/16.
Idaho SB 1420 Increases District Court judges salaries. Approved by full Senate 3/22/16. Approved by full House 3/24/16. To Governor for approval.
Iowa HB 2432 Permits supreme court to set all judicial salaries, move and create judgeships. Provides salary increases not to take effect until general operating moneys for branch have been appropriated. Approved by full House 3/22/16.
Kansas SB 255 Creates Electronic Filing and Management Fund. Revises moneys from fees directed to State General Revenue Fund to go to Judicial Branch Docket Fee Fund instead. Approved as amended by full House 3/21/16. Conference committee named.
Louisiana HB 427 Provides that the approved use of funds from the judicial building fund for equipping city courts includes all costs associated with new and ex sting software and electronic case management systems for court use. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 3/24/16
Oklahoma HB 3160 Allows courts to waive all outstanding fines, court costs and fees in a criminal case if person has served their time, been released, and has complied with probation or supervision requirements and has made installment payments for prior 24 months. Approved by Senate Appropriations, Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary 3/30/16.
Tennessee HB 1791 Provides the supreme court shall have the authority to set all fees, charges, and surcharges of the clerk at levels sufficient to offset the costs of administering the clerk’s office. Approved by full Senate 3/24/16. To Governor for approval.
Selection: Newly Introduced
Alabama SB 371 (Constitutional Amendment) Allows for recall of state elected officials, including judges. In Senate Constitution, Ethics, and Elections Committee.
Rhode Island HB 8017 Authorizes chief judge to appoint judicial candidates if governor fails to fill a vacancy within the required 21 days, and extends list of eligible candidates as of 3/31/13 until 3/31/18. In House Judiciary Committee.
Rhode Island HB 8018 Requires that when a judge of color on a state court leaves the bench, they would be replaced by a person of color. In House Judiciary Committee.
Rhode Island HB 8019 Requires that the judicial selection commission be composed of at least three (3) members of color, and that it actively and aggressively solicit members of color to apply for judicial appointments. In House Judiciary Committee.
Selection: Floor and Committee Activity
Connecticut HB 5389 Requests study of public financing for Probate Court races. Approved by Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections 3/11/16.
Mississippi HB 130 Provides municipal clerks in code charter municipalities to be appointed by executive. Approved by full Senate 3/31/16.
Structure Changes: Newly Introduced
NONE
Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity
Connecticut HB 5476 Requires creation of drug courts/drug dockets in all courts. Approved by Joint Committee on Judiciary 3/21/16.
Connecticut HB 5639 Creates business courts ("Connecticut Center for Commercial Claims") as divisions of the Superior Court. Approved by Joint Committee on Judiciary 3/28/16.
Georgia HB 927 Expands supreme court from 7 to 9 members. Alters jurisdiction of supreme court and court of appeals. Approved by full Senate 3/22/16. To Governor for approval.
Maryland SB 849 Creates task force to study creation of medical malpractice courts. Rejected by Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee 3/24/16.
Other: Newly Introduced
Wisconsin AB 1004 Requires the director of state courts to remove a case or charge involving a civil forfeiture or a crime from the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Internet site within 90 days after being notified that the case or charge has been dismissed, that the defendant has been found not guilty of all of the charges in the case, or that the case or charge has been overturned on appeal and dismissed. In Assembly Judiciary Committee
Other: Floor and Committee Activity
Arizona SB 1414 Enacts Uniform Legal Materials Act. Includes state supreme court decisions and minute entries in superior court. Approved by House Committee of the Whole 3/23/16.
Connecticut HB 5495 Increases penalties for threatening a judge. Approved by Joint Committee on Judiciary 3/21/16.
Delaware SB 212 Permits the Superior Court to temporarily assign duties to a retired Commissioner at the designation of the President Judge with the approval of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 3/23/16.
Georgia HB 808 Vacates current Judicial Qualifications Commission and creates new one. Approval contingent on passage of constitutional amendment. Approved by full House 3/24/16. Approved by full Senate 3/25/16. Takes effect if 2016 ballot item approved.
Georgia HB 957 Requires that the judges and clerks of the probate courts publicly post notice of the availability of the affidavit of indigence. Tabled by full Senate 3/22/16.
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 Senate 3/22/16. Approved by full House 3/22/16. To appear on 2016 ballot.
Georgia SB 262 ORIGINAL: Removes requirement that judges & jurors who are related to party within six degrees of consanguinity or affinity recuse or be disqualified. Reduces degrees down to three degrees. AS AMENDED: Same, but also allows courts to issue any rules for acceptance of documents of payments electronically. Senate concurs with House amendment 3/24/16. To Governor for approval.
Georgia SB 332 AS AMENDED: Clarifies the judges and justices who are exempt from various weapons carry laws and prohibitions. Provides Council of Probate Court Judges to create personal identification cards for judges to carry when armed. Senate concurs with House amendment 3/24/16. To Governor for approval.
Georgia SR 1171 Creates Senate Judicial Qualifications Commission Study Committee. Approved by full Senate 3/22/16. No further approvals required.
Kansas SB 439 AS AMENDED: Specifies grounds for impeachment of Kansas Supreme Court justice and District Court judges chosen via merit/commission system to include "attempting to subvert fundamental laws and introduce arbitrary power, attempting to usurp the power of the legislative or executive branch of government, exhibiting wanton or reckless judicial conduct." Applies similar criteria to executive branch officials. Approved by full Senate 3/22/16.
Louisiana SB 173 Provides for the attorney general to provide legal representation to parish judges. Approved by Senate Judiciary B Committee 3/30/16.
Maryland HB 98 Prohibits a person from retaliating against a juror or officer of the court for the performance of official duties in a State or federal court. Prohibits a person from soliciting another to retaliate against a juror or officer of the court for the performance of official duties in a State or federal court. Approved by Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee 4/1/16.
Maryland SB 194 Provides the Judicial Ethics Committee as an alternative to the Commission on Judicial Disabilities or another body designated by a specified court, shall administer and implement specified provisions of law that apply to State officials of the Judicial Branch. Approved by full House 3/30/16. To Governor for approval.
Mississippi HB 1484 Requires Administrative Office of the Courts, rather than Office of Youth Services, to maintain state central registry of youth court cases. Approved by full Senate 3/28/16. House does not concur with Senate amendment.
Mississippi SB 2314 Requires the administrative office of courts to furnish case data to the office of state public defender. Approved by full House 3/30/16. To Senate to concur with House amendment.
Tennessee HB 1519 Adds a former or current judicial commissioner to the board of judicial conduct to be appointed by the governor from nominees supplied by the judicial commissioners association of Tennessee Approved by full House 3/21/16.