Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced
NONE
Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity
Alabama HB 232 Increases small claims jurisdiction to $6,000. Approved by full House 3/31/2015.
Delaware HB 48 (Constitutional Amendment) Adds "the highest appellate court of any foreign country, or any foreign governmental agency regulating the public issuance or trading of securities" to the list of entities that may certify questions of law to the Delaware Supreme Court. (Second adoption, first adoption was in 2013/2014 session). Approved by House Judiciary Committee 4/1/2015.
Hawaii SB 214 Establishes the exclusive jurisdiction of the small claims division of the district court over cases in which the amount claimed is $1,000 or less. Expands the small claims division's jurisdiction over personal property cases to include any personal property worth $5,000 or less. Approved by full House 4/9/2015.
Texas HB 1427 Directs study of whether suits against state should be filed in Travis County courts. Approved by House General Investigating & Ethics Committee 4/2/15.
Washington HB 1248 Increases District Court jurisdiction from $75,000 to $100,000. Approved by Senate Committee on Law & Justice 3/31/2015.
Washington SB 5125 Increases District Court jurisdiction from $75,000 to $100,000. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 4/1/2015.
Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced
Delaware SB 46 (Constitutional Amendment) Requires at least 1 member of the Supreme Court and Court of Chancery be from each of the state's 3 counties. In Senate Executive Committee.
Georgia HB 691 Requires set terms in office for municipal court judges. Prohibits municipal governments from removing judges from office outside of set terms (currently serve at pleasure of governing authority) unless by 2/3rds vote and then only for specific wrongful acts detailed in bill. In House Judiciary Committee.
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. In House Judiciary Committee.
Minnesota HB 2169 Requires all judges take oath of office at start of term and file oath with secretary of state or forfeit their salaries. In House Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee.
Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity
Arkansas HJR 1027 (Constitutional Amendment) Extends terms for Clerk of Circuit Court from 2 years to 4 years. Approved by Joint Committee on Constitutional Amendments 4/1/2015. Approved by full House 4/1/2015. Approved by full Senate 4/2/2015. To appear on November 2016 ballot.
Maryland SB 847 (Constitutional Amendment) ORIGINAL: Increases mandatory judicial retirement age from 70 to 75. AMENDED: Increases to 73. Applies only to judges elected/appointed after approval of amendment by voters. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 4/9/2015.
Tennessee SB 408 Permits the supreme court to commission as senior judge a state trial court judge who served at least one full eight-year term but was not reelected following the judge's most recent term of judicial service. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 4/8/2015.
Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced
NONE
Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced
Alabama HB 407 Allows judges to purchase additional retirement credits in the Judicial Retirement Fund of Alabama if they have the requisite years of creditable service. Provides employer contributions for judicial retirement for probate judges is a burden of the counties. In House Ways & Means General Fund Committee.
Alabama HB 438 Allows probate judges to purchase additional retirement credits in the Judicial Retirement Fund of Alabama if they have the requisite years of creditable service. In House Ways & Means General Fund Committee.
Alabama HB 447 Provides probate court judges to receive salaries as a percentage of district court judges and adjusted for years of service. Repeals law giving probate judges 5 cents per name for preparation of voter lists. In House Judiciary Committee.
Louisiana HB 698 Requires judiciary prepare annual financial reports of expenditures, revenues, and employee positions for prior fiscal year. Requires report be broken down by court type/level. In House Judiciary Committee.
Rhode Island SB 823 Authorizes state court administrator to set salaries of magistrates and prospectively make uniform magistrates pension benefits. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity
Arkansas SB 886 Sets accounting standards for courts and agencies or contractors used by courts to recover criminal fees and fines. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 3/30/2015. Approved by full House 4/1/2015. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 4/2/2014.
Florida SB 782 Provides that the salaries of a clerk of circuit court may not be decreased under specific circumstances as the county population increases, etc. Approved by House Governmental Oversight & Accountability Committee 3/31/2015.
Florida SB 838 Reduces to 1 calendar month the time period that a retired judge must be terminated from employment to retain his or her full retirement benefits while working as a part-time senior judge. Reduces from 6 calendar months to 1 calendar month the required termination period for required justices and judges to return to work as a senior judge while maintaining retirement benefits. Approved by House Governmental Oversight & Accountability Committee 3/31/2015.
Georgia HB 279 AS AMENDED: Increases judicial salaries. Creates judicial salary compensation commission to recommend future increases. Adds 3 judges to Court of Appeals. Grants appellate judges per diem travel expenses of they reside more than 50 miles outside of Atlanta. Approved by full Senate as amended. 3/31/2015. House amended Senate amendment 4/2/2015. Senate concurred 4/2/2015.
Maryland HB 54 Creates surcharges on various court filings for Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund. Approved by full Senate 4/10/2015.
Maryland SB 103 Allows specified members of the Judges’ Retirement System (JRS) who are subject to mandatory retirement before vesting to receive a prorated retirement allowance based on their years of service. Senate concurs with House amendments 4/3/15. To Governor for approval.
Montana SB 235 Provides governor may not alter judicial branch budget proposals but must direct them to legislature unchanged. Approved by full House 4/10/2015.
New Hampshire SB 65 Adds judicial branch employee member to the deferred compensation commission. Approved by House Executive Departments and Administration Committee 4/8/2015.
Oklahoma SB 456 Creates Courthouse Security Fee up to $10 in all civil cases. Approved by House County and Municipal Government Committee 4/8/2015.
Oklahoma SB 548 Increases salaries of appellate judges and justices. Approved by House Appropriations & Budget Committee 4/1/2015.
Oklahoma SB 549 Eliminates procedure linking salaries of other state officers/elected officials to judicial salaries. Approved by House Appropriations and Budget Committee 4/9/2015.
Selection: Newly Introduced
NONE
Selection: Floor and Committee Activity
Tennessee SB 1 Establishes legislative procedure for the appointment, confirmation and retention of appellate court judges. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 4/8/2015.
Tennessee SB 698 Establishes legislative procedure for the appointment and confirmation of appellate court judges. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 4/8/2015.
Tennessee SB 1169 Creates a judicial nominating commission to select qualified persons to send to the governor for filling of vacancies in state trial courts. Approved by Senate Government Operations Committee 4/1/2015.
Structure Changes: Newly Introduced
Pennsylvania HB 879 Provides that domestic relations matters are to be settled using a procedure set by the legislature. Requires courts create family resource centers. Requires judges, family law masters, and mediators receive training in domestic relations as specified in statute. In House Judiciary Committee.
Pennsylvania HB 880 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides that domestic relations matters are to be settled using a procedure set by the legislature. Requires courts create family resource centers. Requires judges, family law masters, and mediators receive training in domestic relations as specified in statute. In House Judiciary Committee.
Pennsylvania HB 887 Requires creation of veterans courts. In House Judiciary Committee.
Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity
Alabama SB 230 Creates Judicial Resources Allocation Commission. Requires Commission review districts/circuits most in need of judgeships annually. Permits Commission to reallocate judgeship made vacant due to death, resignation, etc. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 4/9/2015.
Montana HB 430 Creates judicial redistricting commission to recommend changes to district lines for 2017 legislature. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 4/10/2015.
Tennessee HB 854 Authorizes veterans courts in state. Approved by House Finance, Ways, & Means Subcommittee 4/8/2015.
Tennessee SB 711 Authorizes veterans courts in state. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 4/7/2015.
Washington SB 5107 Encourages the establishment of therapeutic courts. Approved by House Appropriations Committee 4/7/2015.
Washington SB 5449 Creates a tax division of the court of appeals. Approved by Senate Ways & Means Committee 4/2/2015.
Other: Newly Introduced
California AB 874 Extends Dills Act regarding collective bargaining to employees of the Judicial Council, subject to specified exceptions. In Assembly Public Employees, Retirement And Social Security Committee.
Louisiana HB 294 Requires filing of financial disclosure statements for all judges and justices of the peace. Provides statements are public records. Provides for creation of website to list judges who have not complied or who have only partially complied and for referral of judge to judicial disciplinary commission and to local prosecutors. Provides supreme court hearings regarding judges who do not file disclosures to be open to public. In House Judiciary Committee.
Louisiana HB 728 Requires all pleadings in justice of the peace courts be written. In House Judiciary Committee.
North Carolina HB 562 Allows prosecutors to carry firearms into courtrooms. In House Judiciary I Committee.
North Carolina SB 485 Directs North Carolina Courts Commission study requiring cities and counties to remove personal information from records available on internet web sites maintained by counties and cities when requested by certain law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, and judicial officers. In Senate Rules Committee.
North Carolina SB 516 Requires cities and counties to remove personal information from records available on internet web sites maintained by counties and cities when requested by certain law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, and judicial officers. In Senate Judiciary II Committee.
Rhode Island HB 5972 Transfers licensing of constables from district court to department of business regulation. In House Judiciary Committee.
Rhode Island SB 825 Transfers licensing of constables from district court to department of business regulation. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Wisconsin AB 147 Provides a person who intentionally causes or threatens bodily harm or 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. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Wisconsin SB 117 Provides a person who intentionally causes or threatens bodily harm or 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. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Other: Floor and Committee Activity
Arkansas HB 1901 Implements November 2014 constitutional amendment. Extends various ethics laws to include judges and justices. Approved by full House 4/1/15.
Arkansas SB 159 Allows county employees and elected officials to carry guns into courthouses if they are employed in courthouse. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 3/30/2015. Approved by full House 4/1/2015. Transmitted to Governor for approval 4/2/2015.
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 Senate Judiciary Committee 4/8/2015. Approved by Senate Appropriations Committee 4/10/2015.
Georgia HB 328 Creates Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia. Transfers powers currently held by Judicial Council over drug courts/mental health courts/veterans court division to Council of Accountability Court Judges. Approved by full House 3/31/15. To Governor for approval.
Georgia SB 135 Provides Clerk of Superior Court is sole custodian of all records clerk is required to file and retain. Provides Clerk alone to respond to open records requests for documents in Clerk's office. Allows Clerk to contract out archiving and storage of electronic records. Provides any contracting entity who releases information subject a felony conviction. Senate concurred with House amendment 4/2/2015.
Hawaii HCR 155 Requests the Judicial Council convene committee to review Penal Code. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 3/31/2015. Approved by full House 3/31/2015.
Hawaii HCR 217 Requests the judiciary to convene a task force to examine establishing Hawaiian language resources within the judiciary. Approved by full House 4/9/2015.
Hawaii HR 93 Requests the Judicial Council convene committee to review Penal Code. Approved by full House 3/31/2015.
Hawaii HR 152 Requests the judiciary to convene a task force to examine establishing Hawaiian language resources within the judiciary. Approved by full House 4/9/2015.
Indiana HB 1371 For judges and other "public employees" provides common law liens filed against them are void unless suit is filed within 30 days. Provides that certain judicial officers, law enforcement officers, victims of domestic violence, and certain public officials who want to restrict access to their home addresses by means of a public property data base web site must submit a written request to the appropriate county, municipality, or township. Requires a county, municipality, or township that operates a public property data base web site to establish a process to prevent a member of the general public from gaining access to these home addresses by means of the public property data base web site. Approved by full Senate 4/7/2015.
Maryland HB 312 Prohibits filing false liens on judges and others. Permits clerk to reject filings. Approved by full Senate 3/30/2015.
Maryland SB 77 Prohibits filing false liens on judges and others. Permits clerk to reject filings. Approved by full House 4/2/2015.
Nevada AB 160 Provides that justice courts and municipal courts may held outside their township/precinct/city under specific circumstances. Approved by Assembly Judiciary Committee 4/8/2015.
Nevada AB 69 Removes existing provisions requiring courts apply for a waiver of the requirement for courts to recycle and, instead, requires courts to recycle to the extent reasonably possible. Requires the table of Supreme Court Clerk fees to be posted by conventional or electronic means and requires the table of fees to be posted on the Internet website of the Clerk. Requires all courts report statistical data to Court Administrator pursuant to the uniform system for collecting and compiling statistical information concerning the State Court System which is prescribed by the Supreme Court. Authorizes justices of the peace and clerks of the district courts to maintain in electronic format the fee book required by existing law. Requires justices of the peace and clerks of the district courts to submit to the county official designated by the board of county commissioners a monthly financial statement of the fees collected by them rather than a quarterly financial statement and post tables of fees by conventional or electronic means in their offices and on their Internet websites. Change the term "county clerk" to "clerk of the court" in various statutes relating to the fees charged for the filing of certain documents in the district court and other services provided by the clerk of a district court. Removes certain provisions requiring the Clerk of the Supreme Court to publish a list of certain cases in a newspaper, establishing penalties for justices of the peace and county clerks who fail to perform certain duties, requiring justices of the peace to keep records of certain traffic violations, and requiring the Nevada Supreme Court to decide an appeal from a judgment imposing the death penalty within a certain period. Approved by full Assembly 4/6/2015.
New Hampshire SB 14 Modifies composition of Judicial Council to reflect renamed/consolidated courts. Repeals a limitation on compensation for counsel for indigent defendants. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 4/8/2015.
North Carolina HB 283 Allows Supreme Court to sit in its old summer-session chambers in Morganton twice a year. Approved by House Judiciary IV Committee 4/1/2015. Approved by full House 4/2/2015.
North Dakota SB 2161 Creates interdisciplinary committee on problem-solving courts. Approved by full House as amended 3/30/2015. Senate refused to concur. Conference committee called for 4/2/2015.
Oregon HB 3017 Directs Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to conduct study on mental health courts. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 4/1/2015.
Oregon SB 919 Provides that person who falsely reports hazardous substance, fire, explosion, catastrophe or other emergency in court facility or public building commits crime of disorderly conduct in the first degree. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 4/6/2015. Approved by full Senate 4/7/2015.
Tennessee HB 141 Establishes advisory task forces to study and report recommendations on electronic filing in state courts and the appointment of counsel for indigent defendants. Approved by House Civil Justice Committee 3/31/2015.
Tennessee SB 41 Original: Establishes advisory task forces to study and report recommendations on electronic filing in state courts and the appointment of counsel for indigent defendants. Amended: Creates a task force to review the composition of Tennessee's current judicial districts. Creates a joint legislative committee on judicial redistricting. Creates a task force to study prosecutions involving public corruption and prosecutorial discretion. Approved by full Senate as amended 4/6/2015.
Tennessee SB 649 Establishes advisory task forces to study and report recommendations on electronic filing in state courts and the appointment of counsel for indigent defendants. Approved by full Senate 3/30/2015.