Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced
Arkansas SB 648 Allows suits against state to be filed in any county. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Texas HB 2808 Prohibits appellate courts in state from enforcing federal court orders unless given permission by legislature. In House (no committee).
Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity
New Hampshire HB 174 Limits the jurisdiction of the superior courts over certain adequate education statutes and adequate education grants. Rejected by full House 3/9/17.
New Hampshire HB 429 Prohibits courts from ruling on sufficiency of K-12 funding. Rejected by full House 3/8/17.
Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced
NONE
Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity
Arkansas SB 584 Removes requirement that Director of Administrative Office of the Courts have same qualifications as a District Court judge. Provides qualifications to be set by Supreme Court. Approved by Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee 3/9/17.
New Hampshire HB 137 Requires referees, marital referees, or marital masters serving in the superior courts and the circuit courts who are not former or retired judges to be commissioned as justices of the peace. Rejected by full House 3/8/17.
Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced
NONE
Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced
Massachusetts HB 2358 Increases judicial salaries. In Joint Committee on the Judiciary.
Massachusetts HB 2584 Provides cost-of-living adjustments for retired justices. In Joint Committee on Public Service Committee.
Texas SB 1394 Alters calculation of longevity pay for state judges and justices. In Senate (no committee).
Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity
Alabama SB 238 Allows clerks to use proceeds from Circuit Clerk's Judicial Administration Fund for merit and promotion raises. Approved by Senate Finance Committee 3/9/17.
Arkansas SB 367 Creates Circuit Court Accounting and Fine Collection Committee to examine use, effectiveness, and cost of various automated fine, fee, and restitution systems used by different judicial districts. Approved by full Senate 3/7/17.
Georgia HB 370 Grants Council of Municipal Court Judges of Georgia power to create and administer savings and deferred compensation plans for members Approved by full House 3/3/17.
Kentucky HB 525 ORIGINAL: Creates Kentucky Citizens' Commission on Judicial Compensation to make recommendations on salaries every two years. Provides commission recommendations are advisory. AMENDED: Same, but creates "rebuttable presumption" that recommended 5% increases or less are reasonable. Requires salary adjustments for Circuit Court clerks to be simultaneous with salary adjustments for county officers. Creates training incentive payment for Circuit Court clerks who complete approved training, conducted by the AOC. Requires the AOC to establish, approve, and certify said training, and provide it free of cost to all Circuit Court clerks. Approved as amended by full House 3/7/17.
New Hampshire SB 231 Allows a part-time judge of the circuit court to retire under the provisions of RSA 100-A and elect senior active or judicial referee status. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 3/9/17.
North Carolina SB 117 Prohibits judges impeached or removed from office from receiving retirement benefits. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 3/7/17.
Selection: Newly Introduced
Vermont SB 114 Provides governor may ask for 1 additional list of nominees for judicial vacancies from Judicial Nominating Board. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Selection: Floor and Committee Activity
Maryland SB 744 Provides for nonpartisan election of Circuit Court judges without appearing on partisan primary ballots. Withdrawn by author 3/9/17.
North Carolina HB 100 Returns Superior and District Court races to partisan races. Approved as amended by full House 3/8/17. To Governor for approval.
North Carolina HB 240 Removes governor's power to fill interim District Court vacancies and transfers to General Assembly. Approved by full House 3/9/17.
North Carolina HB 241 Removes governor's power to name Special Superior Court Judges and transfers to General Assembly. Approved by full House 3/9/17.
Utah HB 191 Modifies provisions related to when the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission shall allow a judge to appear before the Commission. Provides for reconsideration if the Utah Supreme Court issues a public sanction of a judge before the voter information pamphlet is published. Addresses confidentiality and anonymity of survey responses. Modifies minimum performance standards. Addresses intercept surveys for justice court judges administered by the commission. House concurs with Senate amendment 3/6/17. To Governor for approval.
Utah SB 193 ORIGINAL: Modifies state's judicial performance evaluation system. AMENDED: Same, but redefines protected records. Approved as amended by full House 3/7/17. To Governor for approval.
Structure Changes: Newly Introduced
California AB 414 Provides that a court in which a vacant judgeship is suspended will not have its funding allocation reduced or any of its funding shifted or transferred as a result of, or in connection with, the suspension of a vacant judgeship. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity
Arkansas HB 1663 Authorizes creation of mental health specialty courts in state. Approved by full House 3/6/17. Approved by full Senate 3/9/17. To Governor for approval.
Mississippi SB 2842 Authorizes and sets certification for mental health courts. Approved as amended by full House 3/8/17. To Senate to concur with House amendments.
North Carolina HB 239 Reduces Court of Appeals from 15 judges down to 12 judges by attrition. Approved by full House 3/9/17.
Other: Newly Introduced
Alabama HB 331 Requires Chief Justice recompile state's constitution every 10 years. In House Constitution, Campaigns, and Elections Committee.
Arkansas HB 1823 Permits courts and other entities to accept electronic document submissions. In House State Affairs Committee
Arkansas HB 1895 Expands elected county officials and staff who may carry a firearm into a courthouse to include officials whose offices are not inside the courthouse. In House Judiciary Committee.
Arkansas SB 660 Repeal law making it a felony to take a gun into a courtroom. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Arkansas SB 728 Allows any gun permit holder to carry guns into courthouses. Repeals authority of judges to determine who will carry concealed weapon into courtroom. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Florida HB 441 Provides exemption from liability for inadvertent release of certain information by clerk of court. In House Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee.
Florida HB 803 Repeals law that prohibits gun permit holder from carrying a concealed weapon into a courthouse or courtroom. Repeals court's ability to determine who will carry a concealed weapon in courtroom. In House Criminal Justice Subcommittee.
Florida SB 140 Retains provision prohibiting carry guns into courthouses, but provides license holder can enter into courthouse entryway to hand firearm to court security in order to store weapon in courthouse gun locker. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Florida SB 1736 Prohibits use of Public Records Act to access judge's business email addresses for 5 years. In Senate (no committee).
Massachusetts HB 2265 Permits publication of reports of decisions of the Supreme Judicial Court and the Appeals Court in electronic format In Joint Committee on the Judiciary.
Massachusetts HB 2327 Grants court officers police powers. In Joint Committee on the Judiciary.
Massachusetts HB 2329 Allows court officers to carry firearms within the premises of the court or the immediate vicinity thereof In Joint Committee on the Judiciary.
Michigan HB 4302 Increases penalties for assaults on court personnel. In House Law and Justice Committee.
Oregon SB 924 Requires judges given jury nullification instruction and provides exact wording to be used. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Texas HB 2680 Requires creation of various standard criminal case forms by Office of Court Administration. In House (no committee).
Texas SB 1329 Specifies where judges must file their oaths. In Senate (no committee).
Texas SB 1452 Applies open meetings law to district judges performing certain management or administrative functions. In Senate (no committee).
Other: Floor and Committee Activity
Colorado HB 1142 Allows for certain court notices to be sent electronically using the e-filing system of the judicial department. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 3/6/17.
Florida HB 301 Requires Supreme Court report annually to governor and legislature cases taking longer than 180 days from oral argument to final decision and explain in detail the reasons for the delay as well as anticipated date for a final decision. Approved by full House 3/10/17.
Florida SB 616 Retains provision prohibiting carry guns into courthouses, but provides license holder can enter into courthouse entryway to hand firearm to court security in order to store weapon in courthouse gun locker. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 3/7/17.
Florida SB 878 Requires Supreme Court report annually to governor and legislature cases taking longer than 180 days from oral argument to final decision and explain in detail the reasons for the delay as well as anticipated date for a final decision. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 3/7/17.
Illinois SB 1647 Provides that "judicial officer" includes retired justices and judges for purposes of the Judicial Privacy Act. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 3/8/17.
Iowa HF 52 AS AMENDED: Includes in criminal offense of interference with judicial acts persons the county provides to the court to provide bailiff and other law enforcement services. Approved as amended by full House 3/7/17.
Minnesota SF 1130 Creates veterans preference in hiring in state courts. Approved by Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee 3/9/17.
Nevada AB 126 Abolishes the Commission to Review the Compensation of Constitutional Officers, Legislators, Supreme Court Justices, Judges of the Court of Appeals, District Judges and Elected County Officers. Approved by full Assembly 3/8/17.
Nevada AB 37 Requires justices of the peace and municipal courts with more than 1 justice/judge to select chief justice/chief judge. Applies disqualification procedures used in district court to these courts. Approved by full Assembly 3/3/17.
New Hampshire HB 311 Expands existing judicial performance evaluation program to include all court employees. Rejected by full House 3/8/17.
Texas SB 40 Modifies laws related to the bond required and the bond insurance obtained for certain judges. Approved by Senate State Affairs Committee 3/6/17.
Utah SB 169 Requires a mayor of a city or town to fill the vacancy of a municipal justice court judge and, until the position is filled, allows the city or town to contract with another jurisdiction for judicial services. Requires a county appointing authority to fill the vacancy of a county justice court judge. Approved by full House 3/6/17. To Governor for approval.