Volume 7 Issue 6

Indicates featured legislation

Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced

Iowa HB 76 Defines foreign law as "any law, rule, or legal code, or system established, used, or applied in a jurisdiction outside of the states or territories of the United States, or which exist as a separate body of law, legal code, or system adopted or used anywhere by any people, group, or culture different from the Constitution and laws of the United States or the State of Alabama." Provides "A court, arbitrator, administrative agency, or other adjudicative, arbitrative, or enforcement authority shall not apply or enforce a foreign law if doing so would violate any state law or a right guaranteed by the Constitution of this state or of the United States." In House Judiciary Committee.

Kansas SCR 1608 (Constitutional Amendment) Specifies "The financing of the educational interests of the state is exclusively a legislative power under article 2 of the constitution of the state of Kansas and as such shall be established solely by the legislature." In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Maryland HB 589 Prohibits state judges and jurors from enforcing federal firearms laws. In House Judiciary Committee.

Minnesota HB 711 Prohibits use of foreign law, including specifically sharia law. In House Judiciary A Committee.

Mississippi SB 2788 Prohibits state judges from enforcing federal executive orders related to firearms. In Senate Judiciary A Committee.

Mississippi SB 2729 Prohibits use of foreign law in state's courts. In Senate Judiciary A Committee.

New Hampshire CACR 7 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides legislature alone shall have the authority and full discretion to define reasonable standards for elementary and secondary public education and to establish reasonable standards of accountability therefor. Provides legislature alone shall have full discretion to determine the amount of, and methods of raising and distributing, state funding for education. In House Education Committee

New Hampshire HB 611 Alters equity jurisdiction of the judicial branch family division. In House Judiciary Committee.

Texas SB 285 Relating to the application of foreign laws and foreign forum selection in a proceeding involving marriage, a suit for dissolution of a marriage, or a suit affecting the parent-child relationship in this state. In Senate Jurisprudence Committee.

Wyoming HJR 5 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides "when exercising their judicial authority the courts of this state shall uphold and adhere to the law as provided in the constitution of the United States, the Wyoming constitution, the United States Code and federal regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, laws of this state, common law as prescribed by legislative enactment, and if necessary the law of another state of the United States. The courts shall not use as precedent the legal precepts of other nations or international law. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to all cases before the respective courts including, without limitation, cases of first impression." In House Judiciary Committee.

Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity

Arizona SB 1112 Prohibits state judges and jurors from enforcing federal firearms laws. Approved by Senate Public Safety Committee 1/30/13.

Mississippi HB 244 Creates category of expedited small claims for cases between $5,000 and $100,000. Approved by full House 1/31/13.

North Dakota HB 1417 Increases small claims jurisdiction from $10,000 to $15,000. Approved by full House 2/1/13.

Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced

Arkansas SB 201 Repeals automatic loss of retirement benefits for judges who seek office after reaching 70 years of age. In Joint Committee on Public Retirement & Social Security Programs.

Hawaii HB 792 (Constitutional Amendment) Increases mandatory judicial retirement age from 70 to 80. In House Judiciary Committee.

Hawaii SB 1022 (Constitutional Amendment) Increases mandatory judicial retirement age from 70 to 80. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Mississippi HB 582 Prohibits mayor or mayor pro tempore from serving as municipal court judge (currently may do so in cities under 10,000). In House Judiciary B Committee.

Mississippi HB 633 Requires all municipal court judges be attorneys. In House Judiciary A Committee.

Mississippi SB 2227 provides any annual continuing education requirement imposed upon a court administrator, whether by statute or rule of court, may be satisfied by the completion by the administrator of twelve duly approved hours of training without regard to the number of meetings attended within one year. In Senate Judiciary A Committee.

North Carolina HB 12 Increases mandatory retirement age from 72 to 75. In House Judiciary A Committee.

Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity

Hawaii HB 275 (Constitutional Amendment) Authorizes the chief justice to appoint judges who have retired upon attaining the age of seventy years as emeritus judges. Permits appointed judges to serve as temporary judges in courts no higher than the court level they reached prior to retirement and for terms not to exceed three months per each appointment. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 1/31/13.

Hawaii SB 886 (Constitutional Amendment) Increases the mandatory retirement age for justices and judges from 70 to 80 years of age. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 1/29/13.

Mississippi SB 2046 Requires justice court clerks receive 12 hours of annual training. Approved by Senate Judiciary A Committee 1/31/13.

Montana HB 172 ORIGINAL: Allows Montana state bar attorney member admitted to practice at least 5 years to serve as a judge pro tem. AMENDED: removed 5 year requirement. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 1/23/13. Approved by full House 1/25/13.

Montana SB 152 (Constitutional Amendment) Requires all candidate for Supreme Court have first served as District Court judge. Tabled in Senate Judiciary Committee 1/28/13.

New Mexico HB 119 Requires all metropolitan judges be attorneys and have practiced for at least five years. Approved by full House 1/28/13.

Virginia SB 740 Increases mandatory judicial retirement age from 70 to 73. Approved by full Senate 1/25/13

Washington SB 5046 Extends mandatory retirement age for district court judges only from end of year judge turns 75 to end of term of office judge turns 75. Approved by full Senate 1/30/13.

Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced

Kansas HB 2113 Provides that the Supreme Court shall allocate all judicial resources as the court determines necessary and appropriate, including assignment of district judges and district magistrate judges to the judicial districts and to the county or counties in which they serve. Eliminates the statutory requirements specifying the location and number of district judges and district magistrate judges in each judicial district, and would repeal existing law that requires at least one judge of the district court to reside and have a primary office in each county. In House Judiciary Committee.

Kansas HB 2116 Allows for electronic filing of service of process. Leaves choice of the method and system to accomplish electronic filing to the Chief Judge of each district, In House Judiciary Committee.

New Hampshire HB 605 Requires supreme court to adopt rules of evidence for the judicial branch family division. In House Judiciary Committee.

Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity

Virginia HB 2091 Requires the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court to establish and require magistrates be available for performing certain duties related to issuing temporary detention orders (currently chief judge of each district court responsible). Approved by full House 1/29/13.

Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced

Arizona SB 1273 Creates alcohol and drug abuse pilot project fund to pay for expanded drug courts in state. In Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

Hawaii HB 1342 Allows the Department of Taxation, the University of Hawaii, and the Judiciary to contract with a collection agency to collect on delinquent accounts. In House Judiciary Committee.

Hawaii HB 807 Corrects anomalies of service retirement service eligibility and normal and early retirement allowances for judges who became members of the Employees' Retirement System prior to July 1, 2012, and first earned service credit as a judge after June 30, 2012. In House Labor Committee.

Hawaii SB 1037 Corrects anomalies of service retirement service eligibility and normal and early retirement allowances for judges who became members of the Employees' Retirement System prior to July 1, 2012, and first earned service credit as a judge after June 30, 2012. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Hawaii SB 1252 Establishes the circuit court clerk electronic citation fund. Imposes a fee of $5 for electronic citation court costs upon every defendant in any traffic, misdemeanor, municipal ordinance, or conservation citation issued upon a plea of guilty, judgment of guilty, or grant of supervision. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Kansas HB 2114 provides that the Debt Setoff Program Collection Assistance Fee charged under current law would be charged as an additional cost for all debts owed to the court when the court utilizes debt setoff procedures. In House Judiciary Committee.

Maryland SB 421 Increases the limit on the maximum salary that the Board of Public Works may set for a clerk of a circuit court from $98,500 to $114,500. Provides act does not apply to the salary or compensation of an incumbent clerk of a circuit court. In Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

Mississippi SB 2281 Creates Interpreters fund and places it within the Administrative Office of Courts. In Senate Judiciary A Committee.

Montana HB 403 Provides clerks may charge 50 cents for providing or accepting copies of papers on file in the clerk's office by facsimile, e-mail, or other electronic means. In House (no committee).

New Hampshire HB 652 Increases court filing fees and increases the percentage of such fees to be deposited in the judicial branch information technology fund. In House Judiciary Committee.

Tennessee HB 195 Requires a municipality to reimburse a county an amount equal to the compensation of the municipality's city judges when any general sessions judge is appointed to serve as a municipal or city judge. In House Civil Justice Committee.

Tennessee HB 202 Permits general sessions court clerks to charge up to a $5.00 electronic citation fee in certain circumstances to allow local law enforcement agencies to defray expenses related to establishing and maintaining technology to issue electronic citations In House Civil Justice Committee.

Tennessee SB 1023 Permits general sessions court clerks to charge up to a $5.00 electronic citation fee in certain circumstances to allow local law enforcement agencies to defray expenses related to establishing and maintaining technology to issue electronic citations In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Tennessee SB 201 Requires a municipality to reimburse a county an amount equal to the compensation of the municipality's city judges when any general sessions judge is appointed to serve as a municipal or city judge. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Texas HB 745 Prohibits counties that have less than 100,000 AND a state supported living center from using existing program that helps collect court fees. In House (no committee).

Washington HB 1542 Provides that were court interpreter is required, noncertified and nonregistered interpreter may be used if the current list of registered interpreters maintained by the administrative office of the courts does not include an interpreter registered in the language spoken by the non-English-speaking person. Removes provisions requiring non-English-speaking person pay for own interpreter. Provides after 2017 state must reimburse 1/2 of interpreter fees. Requires appointing authority monitor and track interpreter hours, best practices, innovations, etc. In House Judiciary Committee.

Washington SB 5398 Provides that were court interpreter is required, noncertified and nonregistered interpreter may be used if the current list of registered interpreters maintained by the administrative office of the courts does not include an interpreter registered in the language spoken by the non-English-speaking person. Removes provisions requiring non-English-speaking person pay for own interpreter. Provides after 2017 state must reimburse 1/2 of interpreter fees. Requires appointing authority monitor and track interpreter hours, best practices, innovations, etc. In Senate Law & Justice Committee.

Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity

Montana HB 206 Doubles fees in justice's court and small claims court. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 1/29/13.

New Mexico HB 169 Amends Judicial and Magistrate Retirement Acts to require employer contributions under the respective retirement plan to be based on a statutory percentage of salary. Approved by House Labor & Human Resources Committee 1/31/13.

Virginia HB 1652 Allows, but does not require, a circuit court clerk with an established electronic filing system to charge a $2 fee for every civil case initially filed by paper. Indigents are exempt from paying the fee. The fee is paid into the clerk's nonreverting local fund to be exclusively used to cover the operational expenses of the electronic filing system.  Approved by full House 1/29/13.

Selection: Newly Introduced

Maryland HB 515 Provides candidate for orphans' court may not be nominated in party primary, may not be nominated by other party process, and must be elected at general election on a nonpartisan basis. (Currently elected on partisan ballot). In House Judiciary Committee.

North Carolina HB 65 Reestablishes partisan judicial elections in state. In House Elections Committee.

North Carolina SB 39 Reestablishes partisan judicial elections in state. In Senate Rules Committee.

Tennessee HB 280 Requires election of all judges, including appellate and supreme court judges. In House Civil Justice Committee.

Tennessee HB 364 Extends the judicial nominating commission until 2015. In House (no committee).

Tennessee HB 695 Extends the judicial nominating commission until 2015. In House Government Operations Committee.

Tennessee SB 215 Extends the judicial nominating commission until 2015. In Senate Government Operations Committee.

Tennessee SB 216 Extends the judicial nominating commission until 2015. In Senate Government Operations Committee.

Tennessee SB 406 Requires election of all judges, including appellate and supreme court judges. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Selection: Floor and Committee Activity

Kansas SB 8 ORIGINAL: Ends merit selection in state. Provides governor may select nominees subject to senate confirmation. Creates Commission on Judicial Qualifications to review governor's pick and make recommendations prior to Senate confirmation. Provides failure by Senate to vote on candidate within certain time frame results in automatic confirmation. AMENDED: Same, but renames commission Judicial Nominating Commission. Approved by full Senate 1/31/13.

Kansas SCR 1601 (Constitutional Amendment) Ends merit selection in state. Provides governor may select nominees subject to senate confirmation. Creates Commission on Judicial Qualifications to review governor's pick and make recommendations prior to Senate confirmation. Provides failure by Senate to vote on candidate within certain time frame results in automatic confirmation. Provides for placement on August 2014 ballot. Approved by full Senate 1/31/13.

New Mexico HB 151 Provides where a magistrate without a law license holds office in a county in which a law license is required due to population increase, the judge may remain in office and be re-elected. Approved by House Voters and Elections Committee 1/31/13.

South Dakota HB 1072 Repeals certain provisions providing a criminal penalty for a political party to endorse or nominate a judicial candidate. Approved by full House 1/22/13.

Tennessee HJR 8 (Constitutional Amendment) AS AMENDED: Provides governor may appoint anyone who meets age and residency requirements to appellate courts with legislative confirmation. Provides nominee is deemed confirmed if legislature fails to act on nomination within 60 calendar days of nomination or 60 days of start of legislative session (if nominated out of session). Provides for retention elections. Approved by House Civil Justice subcommittee 1/30/13.

Utah HB 38 Requires judicial candidates that receive more than $100 from an anonymous or unknown source to disburse the money to a non-for-profit or to the state's General Fund. Approved by full House 1/31/13.

Virginia SB 693 Prohibits Circuit Court from interim appointing to District Court any person who is the subject of a special and continuing order and under the order such person failed in the House of Delegates or the Senate to receive a majority vote of the members elected to the respective house of the General Assembly. Rejected by Senate Courts of Justice Committee 1/30/13.

Virginia SJR 292 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides the General Assembly shall not elect and the Governor shall not appoint any person under the provisions of this article (i) to an initial term who is an immediate family member of a member of the General Assembly as defined by the General Assembly; (ii) who is a member of the General Assembly, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General during the term for which such person was elected; or (iii) whose election to judicial office was the subject of a special and continuing order and under the order such person failed in either the House of Delegates or the Senate to receive a majority vote of the members elected to either house of the General Assembly. Killed on 6-6 tie vote in Senate Privileges and Elections Committee 1/29/13.

Structure Changes: Newly Introduced

Connecticut HB 6169 Creates a veterans' court pilot program within the Superior Court. In Joint Committee on Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mississippi HB 1568 Provides counties with 35,000 or fewer people are to have 2 or 3 justice court judges (currently must have 3). In House Judiciary A Committee.

Mississippi SB 2638 Authorizes creation of Veterans Treatment Courts. In Senate Judiciary A Committee.

Missouri HB 374 Provides the Missouri Supreme Court with the ability to transfer circuit and associate judge positions from one circuit to another as the administration of justice requires. Provides Supreme Court may transfer a judicial position only when a vacancy occurs, and must consider certain criteria before determining whether to transfer the position to a new circuit. In House Judiciary Committee.

Tennessee HB 380 Requires judicial districts to be reassessed and recomposed at least once every 24 years by the general assembly. In House Civil Justice Committee.

Tennessee HB 636 Requires the administrative office of the courts to reassess the state's judicial districts every 10 years. Requires findings of such reassessment and any suggested changes in the judicial districts or allocation of judges to be reported to the senate judiciary committee and the house of representatives civil justice committee. In House Civil Justice Committee.

Tennessee SB 780 Requires the administrative office of the courts to reassess the state's judicial districts every 10 years. Requires findings of such reassessment and any suggested changes in the judicial districts or allocation of judges to be reported to the senate judiciary committee and the house of representatives civil justice committee. In Senate (no committee).

Tennessee SB 825 Requires judicial districts to be reassessed and recomposed at least once every 24 years by the general assembly. In Senate (no committee).

Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity

Missouri SB 21 Provides the Missouri Supreme Court with the ability to transfer circuit and associate judge positions from one circuit to another as the administration of justice requires. Provides Supreme Court may transfer a judicial position only when a vacancy occurs, and must consider certain criteria before determining whether to transfer the position to a new circuit. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 1/31/13

Missouri SB 22 Allows for the redrawing of the circuit and appellate districts every ten years by the Missouri Supreme Court as the administration of justice requires. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 1/31/13.

Virginia HB 1768 Provides that any district court or circuit court may establish an environmental court, a separate court docket within the existing calendar of a district or circuit court, that would have the authority to hear cases involving the protection, improvement, and preservation of the public health and the environment.  Killed by House Courts of Justice Committee 1/28/13.

Other: Newly Introduced

Arizona SB 1216 Removes language no longer used by the clerk of the court relating to books of record In Senate Government and Environment Committee.

Connecticut HB 6220 Enacts numerous proposals to laws related to Probate Court as proposed by the Probate Court Administrator. In Joint Committee on Judiciary.

Florida HB 571 Requires supreme court marshal & his or her deputies to comply with specified requirements for law enforcement officers. Specifies that marshal & his or her deputies are law enforcement officers with statewide authority to bear arms & perform official duties & apprehend without warrant under certain conditions. Deletes provisions relating to marshal & his or her deputies being conservators of peace. Prefiled (no committee).

Florida SB 496 Requires supreme court marshal & his or her deputies to comply with specified requirements for law enforcement officers. Specifies that marshal & his or her deputies are law enforcement officers with statewide authority to bear arms & perform official duties & apprehend without warrant under certain conditions. Deletes provisions relating to marshal & his or her deputies being conservators of peace. Prefiled (no committee).

Florida SB 556 Provides requirements for the storage of papers and electronic filings and requiring that they be stamped with the date and time of submission. Requires that the clerk provide access to public records without charge to certain persons, subject to a limitation and an exception. Prefiled (no committee).

Iowa SB 78 Jury nullification. Provides criminal defendants have right to inform jury they are finders of fact and may judge law. Provides right of jury cannot be bound by rules of civil or criminal procedure, jurors oath, court order, etc. Prohibits courts from using any method to prohibit jurors willing to exercise their right to judge law and fact. Allows any party to present evidence of constitutionality or intent of law. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Kansas HB 2115 Remove the time restrictions from current law to allow the Supreme Court to enter into senior judge contracts with retired judges or justices at any time. In House Judiciary Committee.

Kansas SB 81 Clarifies public agencies are not required to disclose on websites home addresses or home ownership of judges, court staff, and others specified. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Maine HB 110 Requires courts put all public records online. In Joint Committee on the Judiciary.

Mississippi HB 455 Allows for recall of all elected officials, including judges. In House Elections and Apportionment Committee.

Mississippi HB 649 Provides when an election is challenged, the Chief Justice is to designate judge to hear case from outside the county/district/circuit the complaint was filed in. In House Elections and Apportionment Committee.

Mississippi SB 2274 Requires Judicial College train judges on Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act. In Senate Judiciary A Committee.

Mississippi SB 2344 Provides assault on a judge or court employee is an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes. In Senate Judiciary B Committee.

Mississippi SB 2645 Permits Secretary of State or refuse to file false liens/UCC claims against judges and other officials for performance of their official duties. In Senate Judiciary A Committee.

Missouri HB 363 Allows for the appointment of an acting county municipal court judge on a temporary basis if any judge of a county municipal court becomes ill or is otherwise unavailable. In House (no committee).

Missouri HB 373 Allows for the redrawing of the circuit and appellate districts every ten years by the Missouri Supreme Court as the administration of justice requires. In House Judiciary Committee.

Montana HB 352 Revises instances where a Justice of the Peace may call in another judge to act in the locality. In House Judiciary Committee.

New Hampshire HB 571 Establishes task force to study and make recommendations on the judicial branch family court division. In House Children and Family Law Committee.

New Hampshire HB 613 Statutorily creates redress of grievances committee. Provides committee may overturn judicial decisions, "remedy" any judicial decision, and "undertake proceedings to remove from office judges or attorneys that do not uphold their oaths of office." Committee would be allow to subpoena any court documents and recommend dissolution of a court. In House Legislative Administration Committee.

New Hampshire HB 638 Recognizes "original" 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Claims titles of nobility, including use of "esquire" after attorney's name, violates the provision and leads to "unlawful usurpation" by courts. In House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee.

New Hampshire HB 670 allows for the appointment of new martial masters and permits current marital masters to remain in office until retirement, resignation, disability, or nonrenewal of appointment. In House Judiciary Committee.

New Mexico HB 358 Adds magistrate judge and additional member of public to judicial standards commission (implements constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2012). In House Judiciary Committee.

North Carolina SB 34 Requests Chief Justice abolish North Carolina Actual Innocence Commission, established by Chief Justice. In Senate Rules Committee.

South Dakota SB 198 Adds two members to Judicial Qualifications Commission chosen by House and Senate leaders. In Senate State Affairs Committee.

South Dakota SB 218 Authorizes Unified Judicial System to create program to assist rural counties in recruiting attorneys. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Tennessee HB 279 Delegates receipt of complaints of and disciplinary authority over district attorney generals to the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct In House (no committee).

Tennessee HB 363 Requires the background investigations for a judicial appointment to be completed within 90 days. In House Civil Justice Committee.

Tennessee HB 418 Requires all courts in this state to utilize the same system provider for operating an electronic court filing system; provided, the administrative office of the courts shall make the determination of the provider In House Civil Justice Committee.

Tennessee HB 461 Requires that before the clerk destroys or otherwise disposes of any documents when so authorized by the court, the clerk shall give 150 days' notice instead of 90 days' notice to the state librarian and archivist. In House Civil Justice Committee.

Tennessee HB 885 Creates Tennessee court information system steering committee. In House (no committee).

Tennessee SB 1050 Requires all courts in this state to utilize the same system provider for operating an electronic court filing system; provided, the administrative office of the courts shall make the determination of the provider In Senate (no committee).

Tennessee SB 1051 Requires that before the clerk destroys or otherwise disposes of any documents when so authorized by the court, the clerk shall give 150 days' notice instead of 90 days' notice to the state librarian and archivist. In Senate (no committee).

Tennessee SB 214 Requires the background investigations for a judicial appointment to be completed within 90 days. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Tennessee SB 225 Delegates receipt of complaints of and disciplinary authority over district attorney generals to the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Tennessee SB 791 Creates Tennessee court information system steering committee. In Senate (no committee).

Washington HB 1383 Provides for enhanced penalties for stalking a court employee, court clerk,or courthouse facilitator. In House Judiciary Committee.

Washington HB 1474 For judicial and other nonpartisan elections where only 2 candidates are up for office, provides contest is to occur at general election (currently decided at primary election). In House Government Operations & Elections Committee.

Washington HB 1589 Allows limited jurisdiction judges to solemnize marriages. In House Judiciary Committee.

Washington HB 1653 Provides assault of a person in a courthouse, courtroom or building associated with court proceedings is a class C felony. In House Public Safety Committee.

Washington SB 5452 Provides for enhanced penalties for stalking a court employee, court clerk,or courthouse facilitator. In Senate Human Services & Corrections Committee.

Washington SB 5484 Provides assault of a person in a courthouse, courtroom or building associated with court proceedings is a class C felony. In Senate Law & Justice Committee.

Other: Floor and Committee Activity

Colorado HB 1053 Repeals requirement that clerks of district courts execute surety bonds. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 1/29/13.

Hawaii SB 32 Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act. Provides for official electronic versions of reported decisions of state's appellate courts and state court rules. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 1/31/13.

Georgia HR 143 Commends Judicial Council and the Administrative Office of the Courts on 40 years of developing and improving statewide court administration. Approved by full House 1/30/13.

Mississippi HB 649 Provides when an election is challenged, the Chief Justice is to designate judge to hear case from outside the county/district/circuit the complaint was filed in. Approved by House Elections and Apportionment Committee 1/31/13.

Mississippi SB 2645 Permits Secretary of State or refuse to file false liens/UCC claims against judges and other officials for performance of their official duties. Approved by Senate Judiciary A Committee 1/29/13.

South Dakota SB 70 Requires each magistrate and circuit judge complete training on evidence-based practices, including the use of validated risk and needs assessments and behavioral health assessments in decision making. Training levels/forms to be determined by Chief Justice. Authorizes creation of veterans HOPE Courts Approved by full House 1/31/13.To Governor for approval.

Virginia HB 1715 Makes various changes to the provisions that allow circuit court clerks to provide remote access to certain records and to charge a fee for such access. Directs that fees assessed for electronic filing of cases and other records and accessing certain records remotely shall be paid to the clerk's nonreverting local fund to be used to cover the clerk's operational expenses.  Approved by full House 1/29/13.

Virginia HB 1911 Directs Judicial Council to report on law clerks used by the appellate and circuit courts.  Killed in House Appropriations subcommittee 1/24/13.

Virginia SB 1058 Restricts meetings of the mandatory judicial conferences to no more than once every other year.  Killed in Senate Courts of Justice Committee 1/30/13.

Virginia SB 979 Permits the chief judge of a general district court to direct the clerk of that court to destroy documents related to civil and criminal cases that have been ended for a period of three years, provided that they have been microfilmed or converted to an electronic format. Currently, such documents must be retained for 10 years. Approved by Senate Courts of Justice Committee 2/1/13.

Wyoming HB 216 Makes it a misdemeanor to carry deadly weapon in courtroom. Provides judge presiding in the courtroom may carry weapon and determine who else may carry. Limits restrictions to courtroom only. Approved as amended by full House 2/1/13.

Wyoming SB 10 Removes requirement that state supreme court provide paper copies of reported volumes. Approved full House Judiciary Committee 1/31/13.

Wyoming SB 124 Provides for expedited handling of false liens filed on judges and other officials. Approved by full Senate 1/28/13.