Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced
Minnesota SB 2144 In case of government shutdown due to failure to pass budget, prohibits courts from ordering any funding. In Senate State & Local Government Committee.
Minnesota SB 2146 In case of government shutdown due to failure to pass budget, prohibits courts from ordering any funding except for public safety. In Senate State & Local Government Committee.
Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity
Texas HB 670 Prohibits courts from using or referencing foreign law in a state. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 5/7/2015.
Texas SJR 8 (Constitutional Amendment) Authorizes the legislature to require a court to provide notice to the attorney general of a challenge to the constitutionality of a state statute and authorizing the legislature to prescribe a waiting period before the court may enter a judgment holding the statute unconstitutional. Approved by Senate State Affairs Committee 5/8/2015.
Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced
NONE
Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity
Louisiana HB 350 Provides that law prohibiting those above the age of 70 from running for office of justice of the peace does not apply to those serving as a justice of the peace on or before August 2006. Approved by full House 5/4/2015.
Texas HB 257 Prohibits judges from having any interest in a business entity that owns, manages, or operates a private correctional or rehabilitation facility. Approved by full House 5/8/2015.
Texas HB 2920 Provides assigned statutory probate court judge must have been an active judge at least 48 months (currently 72) to serve. Approved by full House 5/8/2015.
Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced
New York SB 5174 Permits the audio and/or televising, broadcasting or taking of motion pictures of certain court proceedings. Authorizes the chief administrator of the courts to promulgate rules and regulations permitting audio-visual coverage of civil and criminal court proceedings. In Senate Codes Committee.
Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity
Maine HB 139 Authorizes the Supreme Judicial Court to adopt any rules or issue any orders necessary to implement its electronic case management and filing system. Requires the court to notify the Legislature of any such rules or orders and to recommend any changes in law needed to implement or promote the system. Approved by Senate Committee on Bills; Approved by full Senate 5/5/2015.
Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced
Nebraska LR 244 Directs interim study of judicial salaries. In Senate Executive Board.
Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity
Alabama SB 411 Establishes new retirement plans for justices, judges, and circuit clerks, known as Judges' and Clerks' Plan first elected or appointed to their respective positions on or after November 8, 2016. Provides plan to operate under the Judicial Retirement Fund. Approved by full Senate 5/7/2015.
Alabama SB 448 Alters percentage county has to pay for probate judges retirement into Judicial Retirement Fun. Approved by Senate Finance Committee 5/7/15.
Colorado SB 288 Links salaries of state executive officials and state legislature to judicial salaries. Approved by Senate Appropriations Committee; Approved by full Senate; Approved by House Finance Committee; Approved by House Appropriations Committee 5/5/2015. Approved by full House 5/6/2015.
Oklahoma SB 456 Creates Courthouse Security Fee up to $10 in all civil cases. Approved by full Senate 5/6/2015
Selection: Newly Introduced
NONE
Selection: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Structure Changes: Newly Introduced
NONE
Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity
Missouri HB 799 AS AMENDED BY SENATE: Creates new 46th judicial circuit. Provides when an annual judicial performance report indicates for three consecutive calendar years the need for four or more full-time judicial positions in any judicial circuit having a population of one hundred thousand or more, there shall be one additional circuit judge position authorized in such circuit, subject to appropriations made for that purpose. Approved by full Senate 5/6/15. To House to concur with amendments.
South Carolina SB 426 Creates mental health court program under control of prosecutors. Judges of courts to be chosen by chief justice. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 5/6/2015.
Texas HB 2730 Creates 15th Court of Appeals. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 5/7/2015.
Texas SB 455 ORIGINAL: Provides challenges to state laws to be heard on request of Attorney General by three-judge panels of District Court, two of whom are to be chosen by Chief Justice. AMENDED: Limited to school funding and redistricting cases. Approved by full Senate 5/4/2015.
Other: Newly Introduced
NONE
Other: Floor and Committee Activity
California SB 682 Requires trial courts comply with specified requirements before contracting out services currently or customarily performed by that court's trial court employees. Provides requirement for contracting work and exceptions. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 5/4/2015.
Colorado SB 185 Requires the judicial department to report data on charges, dispositions, sentences, and probation revocations, including race, ethnicity, gender, and incident report number. Approved by full House 5/4/2015.
Delaware HB 112 (Constitutional Amendment) Adds Chief Magistrate of the Justice of the Peace Court to state's judicial disciplinary body. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 5/6/2015. Approved by full House 5/7/2015.
Delaware HB 113 Specifically authorizes Supreme Court to hear cases outside Dover in cases of judicial emergencies or to inform/educate public. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 5/6/2015.
Louisiana HB 169 ORIGINAL: Requires all state entities, officials, and employees provide any information requested by the legislature. AMENDED: Provide judicial branch need only provide information "pertaining to any money or monies, any assets or items of economic value to the state, or any financial transactions in the control of or handled by or through the judicial branch..." Approved as amended by House Governmental Affairs Committee 5/6/15.
Louisiana HB 728 ORIGINAL: Modifies justices of the peace court laws. Requires all pleadings in justice of the peace courts be written. AMENDED: Requirement all pleadings be in writing removed by committee. Approved by full House 5/4/2015.
Nevada AB 68 AMENDED: Expands Commission on Judicial Discipline's power to include a person who is a former justice, judge, justice of the peace or other officer of the Judicial Branch who presides over judicial proceedings if the conduct at issue occurred while the person was serving in any such position. Requires that any complaint or action filed in connection with any proceeding of the Commission be filed in the Supreme Court. Provides that any such complaint or action filed in a court other than the Supreme Court will be presumed to be frivolous and intended solely for the purposes of delay. Requires the Supreme Court to appoint two justices of the peace and two municipal judges to sit on the Commission for formal, public proceedings against a justice of the peace or a municipal judge, respectively. Requires each appointing authority to appoint, for each position for which the authority makes an appointment to the Commission, one or more alternate members. Requires that the *existence* of a proceeding of the Commission remain confidential prior to determination that a reasonable probability of grounds for disciplinary action against a judge exists and the special counsel files a formal statement of charges. (Currently only the proceedings themselves are confidential). Revises information Commission is required to disclose if a witness is prosecuted for perjury committed during the course of a proceeding before the Commission. Requires any minutes of Commission sessions remain confidential. Provides that, unless otherwise expressly provided by law, a determination or finding by the Commission is required to be recorded in the minutes of the proceedings of the Commission if the determination or finding is made before the filing of a formal statement of charges against a judge or the Commission decides to suspend a judge. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 5/8/2015.
Oregon HB 3399 Requires justice court or municipal court to record criminal proceedings. Approved by full House 5/5/2015.
Texas SB 1913 Clarifies the statutory authority of judges to hire a county court administrator in a county served by multiple state district courts and county courts at law. Approved by full Senate 5/8/2015.
Wisconsin SB 117 ORIGINAL: Provides a person who intentionally causes or threatens bodily harm to a current or former judge or a judge's family member is guilty of a Class H felony. AMENDED: Same, but expands definition of judge, prosecutor, and law enforcement officer to include former judge, prosecutor, and law enforcement officer; applies the bill's provisions if the act is in response to an action taken by any judge, prosecutor, or law enforcement officer, not just in response to an action taken by the judge, prosecutor, or law enforcement officer against whom the act or threat is made; and makes requirements of the bill conjunctive rather than disjunctive. Approved by full Senate 5/6/2015.