Volume 8 Issue 22 23 and 24

Indicates featured legislation

Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced

NONE

Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity

NONE

Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced

NONE

Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity

Louisiana HB 96 (Constitutional Amendment) Removes mandatory judicial retirement age. Approved by full Senate 5/28/14. To appear on November 2014 ballot.

Louisiana SB 583 Removes exemption that those justices of the peace serving as of August 15, 2006 need not retire at age 70. Approved by full House 5/30/14. To Governor for approval.

New Jersey ACR 129 (Constitutional Amendment) Increases mandatory judicial retirement age from 70 to 75. Approved by Pension and Health Benefits Commission 6/6/14.

Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced

NONE

Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity

NONE

Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced

Oklahoma HB 3543 Rejects increase in the compensation for members of the State Judiciary as approved by the Board on Judicial Compensation. In House (no committee).

Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity

Illinois SB 274 Provides that beginning July 1, 2014 the aggregate appropriations available for salaries for judges from all State funds for each State fiscal year shall be no less than the total aggregate appropriations made available for salaries for judges for the immediately preceding fiscal year. Approved with House amendment by full Senate 5/30/14. To Governor for approval.

Louisiana HB 1130 Authorizes municipal governing authorities to contract with private collection agencies for purposes of collecting city court fines, forfeitures, penalties, and costs. Approved by full Senate 5/27/14. To Governor for approval.

New Hampshire HB 312 ORIGINAL: Bans or restricts collection of biometric data by government. AMENDED: Same, but requires judges opt into particular retirement system or else be defaulted into a retirement system. Conference committee report approved by House and Senate 6/4/14. To Governor for signature.

Ohio HB 175 Requires all judicial and other government expenditures be published online. Approved by full House 6/4/14.

Oklahoma HJR 1096 ORIGINAL: Rejects increase in the compensation for members of the State Judiciary as approved by the Board on Judicial Compensation. AMENDED: Allows salary increases for trial judges, but not for appellate judges. Specifies increase does not apply to state officials whose salaries are tied to trial judges. Approved by full House 5/21/14. Approved by full Senate 5/23/14. To Governor for approval.

Selection: Newly Introduced

Pennsylvania HB 2316 Ends offices of elected Clerk of Court/Prothonotary and converts/transfers them into state judicial system employees under the control of the local president judge. In House Judiciary Committee.

Selection: Floor and Committee Activity

NONE

Structure Changes: Newly Introduced

NONE

Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity

NONE

Other: Newly Introduced

New York AB 9869 Mandates use of efiling in all civil cases. Exempts discovery demands and responses to discovery demands. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Other: Floor and Committee Activity

California AB 2332 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 as amended by full Assembly 5/29/14.

California AB 2494 Requires Judicial Council report on number of times attorneys and parties are fined for filing frivolous cases/pleadings. Approved by full Assembly 5/28/14.

Louisiana HB 709 ORIGINAL: Allows justices of the peace to solemnize marriages in any parish which has no justice of the peace. AS AMENDED: Same, but also provides when justice of the peace appoints ad hoc justice of the peace to temporarily serve in office must notify attorney general within 72 hours. Senate concurs with House amendments 5/29/14. To Governor for approval.

Louisiana HB 888 Creates the Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority (LCRAA) for the purpose of providing infrastructure, governance, standard operating procedures, technology, and training to support a statewide portal for secure remote access of certain court records maintained by LCRAA members to internet users and for document preservation. Conference committee report approved by House and Senate 6/1/14 and 6/2/14. To Governor for signature.

Louisiana HCR 137 ORIGINAL: Requests Judicial Council report on number of times attorneys and parties are fined for filing frivolous cases/pleadings. SENATE AMENDMENT: Same, but specifies "the Senate Committee on Judiciary A, in conjunction with the Judicial Council" to conduct study. Approved by full House 5/29/15. Approved with Senate amendment by full Senate 6/2/14.

Missouri HB 1231 Modifies the number of judges to serve in each district of the court of appeals, in order to reflect the current total number authorized by statute. Specifies currently law must not be construed to permit the adoption of any local court rule that grants a judge the discretion to remove or direct the removal of any pleading, file or communication from a court file or record without the agreement of all parties. Specifies that any overpaid funds owed to a municipal division of the circuit court may be retained by the municipality for the operation of the municipal court. Conference committee report approved by Senate 5/16/14. To Governor for approval.

North Carolina HB 1152 Requests Chief Justice abolish North Carolina Actual Innocence Commission, established by Chief Justice. Approved by full House 6/4/14.

North Carolina SB 744 Increases penalties for assaults on judges. Provides constitutional challenges to state laws to be heard by special 3-judge panel selected by Chief Justice. Approved by full Senate 5/31/14.

Oklahoma SB 1442 Provides any judge of the district court to carry firearm into courthouse so long as they complete special training for court officials developed by Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET). Provides CLEET to issue cards demonstrating judge meets education standards and is eligible to carry into courthouse. Conference committee report approved by House 5/23/14. To Governor for signature.

Pennsylvania SB 601 Enacts Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act. Provides for official publication of decisions of the state's courts and rules of court. Approved by Senate Appropriations Committee 6/3/14.

Rhode Island HB 7306 Defines "limited English proficient person" for the purposes of interpreters for legal proceedings as any person whose primary language is not English & who does not have the ability to adequately understand or communicate effectively in English. Approved by full Senate 5/29/14. To Governor for approval.