Volume 8 Issue 27

Indicates featured legislation

Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced

NONE

Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity

NONE

Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced

NONE

Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity

NONE

Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced

NONE

Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity

NONE

Selection: Newly Introduced

NONE

Selection: Floor and Committee Activity

NONE

Structure Changes: Newly Introduced

Pennsylvania SB 1411 Requires creation of veterans courts. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity

North Carolina HB 189 HOUSE VERSION: Child support order enforcement. SENATE VERSION: Requires three judge trial court panels to hear challenges to constitutionality of state laws. Makes revisions to structure of business courts in state. Approved with Senate amendment by full Senate 6/26/14.

North Carolina SB 648 SENATE VERSION: Provides constitutional challenges to state laws to be heard by special 3-judge panel selected by Chief Justice. HOUSE VERSION: all references to 3 judge panel dropped. Approved by full House 6/26/14. Senate does not concur with House amendment.

Pennsylvania SB 324 (Constitutional Amendment) Reduces size of Supreme Court from 7 to 5 members. Limits members of Commonwealth Court (intermediate court) to 11 members (currently 15 authorized by statute). FLOOR AMENDMENT: Removed references to reduction in size of courts. Floor amendment approved 6/26/14.

Other: Newly Introduced

NONE

Other: Floor and Committee Activity

California AB 1657 Expressly prohibits a party from being charged a fee for the provision of a court interpreter. Clarifies that a court may provide an interpreter in any civil action or proceeding at no cost to the parties, regardless of the income of the parties. Provides that until sufficient funds are appropriated to provide an interpreter to every party who needs one, interpreters must initially be provided in accordance with priorities set forth by the bill. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 6/24/14.

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 by Senate Judiciary Committee 6/24/14.

California AB 2494 ORIGINAL: Requires Judicial Council report on number of times attorneys and parties are fined for filing frivolous cases/pleadings. SENATE AMENDMENT: Requires California Research Bureau, not the Judicial Council, make the report. Approved with Senate amendment by Senate Judiciary Committee 6/24/14.

North Carolina SB 594 AS APPROVED BY HOUSE JUDICIARY C COMMITTEE- Increases mandatory retirement age from 72 to 75. Increases penalties for assaults on judges and other elected officials. AS APPROVED BY HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE- All references to judicial retirement age and assaults dropped. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 6/19/14. References dropped by House Appropriations Committee 6/26/14.