Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced
Alabama HB 42 Increases District Court jurisdiction to $15,000. In House Judiciary Committee.
Connecticut HB 5547 Bans use of foreign laws in state courts. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Iowa SF 42 Increases small claims from $5000 to $10000. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Mississippi HB 805 Provides when constitutionality of state law is challenged, Chief Justice to designate any Circuit judge in state to hear challenge. In House Judiciary A Committee.
New Hampshire HB 429 Prohibits courts from ruling on sufficiency of K-12 funding. In House Legislative Administration Committee.
North Dakota HB 1425 Bans use of foreign/international law by state courts. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3188 Prohibits use of foreign/international law in state courts. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3193 Increases magistrate courts' jurisdiction from $7,500 to $15,000. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina SB 118 Increases magistrate courts' jurisdiction from $7,500 to $10,000. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina SB 151 Increases magistrate courts' jurisdiction from $7,500 to $15,000. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Washington SJR 8200 (Constitutional Amendment) Removes judiciary's power to review constitutionality of K-12 funding levels. In Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced
Mississippi HB 665 Provides removal of a judge of the Court of Appeals to the State Capitol during his term of office shall not render the judge ineligible as his own successor for the district from which removed, and upon removal to the State Capitol during his term of office, the judge shall retain his county of residence and domicile from which elected while holding such state office. In House Judiciary A Committee.
New York AB 1517 Allows towns and villages to require judges be admitted to practice of law in state. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced
South Carolina SB 183 Provides Supreme Court's rulemaking over state bar is subject to legislative override. Removes references to mandatory state bar. In Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee.
Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced
Georgia HB 5 Changes Juvenile Court judges’ salaries. In House (no committee).
Kansas HB 2041 Extends the judicial branch surcharge fund. In House Judiciary Committee.
Mississippi HB 700 Provides Department of Revenue to administrate Justice Court and Municipal Court Payment Programs. In House Ways and Means Committee.
Missouri HJR 23 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides recommendations for judicial salary increases and increases for other officials made by Missouri Citizens' Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials are required to be subject to the existing appropriation process and not automatically appropriated unless overridden. In House (no committee).
Nebraska LB 413 Changes a retirement application timeframe for judges and changes supplemental lump-sum cost-of-living adjustments under the Judges Retirement Act. In Senate Retirement Systems Committee.
South Carolina SB 148 Adjusts Magistrate Court judges’ salaries. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina SJR 69 (Constitutional Amendment) Guarantees 1% of all general revenue to state's judiciary. In Senate Finance Committee.
Washington HB 1140 Extends surcharges on court filing fees for deposit in the judicial stabilization trust account to July 1, 2021. In House Judiciary Committee.
Wyoming SB 85 Increases court automation fee from $10 to $20. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity
Delaware HJR 2 Rejects the report of the Delaware Compensation Commission recommending judicial salary increases Approved by full House 1/19/17. To Senate.
Missouri HCR 4 Rejects proposed judicial salary increases in Missouri Citizens Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials report (2/3rds vote to override report required). Approved by House General Laws Committee 1/81/17. Approved by House Rules Committee 1/19/17.
Wyoming SB 81 Increases circuit court judges’ salaries. Approved by full Senate 1/19/17.
Selection: Newly Introduced
Connecticut HB 5648 Gives General Assembly sixty days (currently 45) following the date on which the Governor submits a judicial nomination to the joint standing committee on the judiciary to act on such judicial nomination. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Indiana HB 1321 Provides that each county election board shall include information related to justices and judges subject to a judicial retention election in its notice of a general election along with a reminder to voters to vote in judicial retention elections. In House Elections and Apportionment Committee.
Mississippi HB 496 Requires partisan election of judges. In House Judiciary A Committee.
Mississippi SB 2224 Creates open primaries for judicial and other races. In Senate Elections Committee.
New York SB 1226 (Constitutional Amendment) Allows for recall of judges and other officials. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3148 Requires nonpartisan election of probate court judges. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3149 Requires nonpartisan election of clerks of court. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3175 Requires Judicial Merit Screening Commission advance 5 qualified names (currently limited to 3 names). In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3189 Requires the judicial merit selection commission's rules to include procedures for investigating complaints against candidates for directly or indirectly seeking pledges. Provides that pledges for judicial candidates may not be directly or indirectly sought or given until fourteen days, rather than forty-eight hours, after the initial release of the report concerning nominees to members of the general assembly. Provides that there be a period of not more than twenty-eight days, rather than two weeks, after the final report of nominations to the general assembly and to require that candidates be nominated by the second Thursday in January each year. Provides for the election of judges by the general assembly in joint session to be held once a year only. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3204 Requires Judicial Merit Screening Commission advance all qualified names (currently limited to 3 names). In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3207 Changes membership of Judicial Merit Selection Commission and allows governor to name 4 of 10 members. Prohibits members of General Assembly or judiciary and their families from serving on Commission. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3302 Requires candidates for magistrates court to be screened by the judicial merit selection commission before they may be appointed by the governor by and with the consent of the senate. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina SB 121 Provides that pledges for judicial candidates may not be directly or indirectly sought or given until twelve days, rather than forty-eight hours, after the initial release of the report concerning nominees to members of the general assembly. Provides that there be a period of at least twenty-two days, rather than two weeks, after the time the report is printed in the journals and the time of the election. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina SB 96 Requires Judicial Merit Screening Commission advance all qualified names (currently limited to 3 names). In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Tennessee SB 111 Extends the trial court vacancy commission to June 30, 2019 In Senate (no committee).
Texas HB 958 Requests interim study regarding the method by which certain trial and appellate judges are selected. Prefiled.
Selection: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Structure Changes: Newly Introduced
Connecticut HB 5746 Creates task force to examine creation of health courts to hear medical malpractice and similar cases. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Indiana SB 546 Reorganizes state's Tax Court. Creates new Tax Court Panel of the Court of Appeals to head cases from Tax Court. Provides Tax Court made up of judges of 6 Circuit, Superior, or Probate Court judges assigned by Supreme Court. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Mississippi HB 489 Authorizes and sets certification for mental health courts. In House Public Health and Human Services Committee.
New York SB 798 Provides for establishment of gun court calendars in criminal courts. In Senate Codes Committee.
Oklahoma SB 213 Repeals existing Supreme Court Judicial Districts. Provides for 5 new districts that are same as congressional districts and 4 statewide at-large districts. In Senate (no committee).
South Carolina SB 133 Requires creation of recovery court program in each Family Court in every judicial circuit. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Other: Newly Introduced
Connecticut HB 5742 Increases penalties for threatening a judge. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Florida HB 255 Provides legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to collect data on all sentences handed down by trial judges in state's criminal and juvenile cases and post data online. Provides if data shows judge has disparities in sentences due to race or other demographic criteria, judge may be forced to recuse in all cases involving member of that demographic group. In House (no committee).
Florida SB 382 Provides legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to collect data on all sentences handed down by trial judges in state's criminal and juvenile cases and post data online. Provides if data shows judge has disparities in sentences due to race or other demographic criteria, judge may be forced to recuse in all cases involving member of that demographic group. In Senate (no committee).
Mississippi HB 788 Prohibits municipal courts from requiring individuals have a photo I.D. to enter into such courts. In House Judiciary A Committee.
Mississippi HB 789 Prohibits courts from requiring individuals have a photo I.D. to enter into such courts. In House Judiciary A Committee.
Mississippi SB 2182 Allows for recall of judges and other officials. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Missouri HB 498 Specifies that an attorney who presents a current valid Missouri Bar membership card to courthouse security is not subject to any security screening but that their bag or briefcase may be. In House (no committee).
New Hampshire HB 449 Provides a plaintiff may attach the paycheck of a judge if the judge is found liable for injury or wrongful conduct to the plaintiff and owes the plaintiff monetary compensation. In House Judiciary Committee.
New York AB 1864 Permits the electronic filing of papers in local criminal courts in certain instances. In Assembly Codes Committee.
North Dakota HB 1313 Provides Judicial Conduct Commission members to be selected by state National Guard Adjutant General. Provides all members must be active or retired military members. In House Judiciary Committee.
North Dakota HB 1397 Provides executive branch agencies and the judicial branch may not submit legislative bills for introduction to the legislative assembly unless requested by committee. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3018 Requires state agencies and political subdivisions develop ways to remove personal information of judges and other officials off documents available to the public. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3170 Modifies the prohibition on public officers gambling or betting on games of chance. Provide an exception that allows participation in lotteries conducted by the State of South Carolina by most judges and other officeholders. Restriction would remain on supreme court and court of appeals judges and other specified officials. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HB 3205 Allows retired and active judges and clerks of court to carry concealed weapon anywhere in state. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina SJR 211 Creates South Carolina Family Court Study Committee. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Texas HB 1027 Requires clerk of court place notice of self-help resources on the Internet website of a state court and in the court building. Prefiled.
Texas HB 1058 Provides a person operating a court-approved efiling system for a court may not sell or offer to sell a copy of any court record filed through the system unless the person selling or offering to sell the document is the clerk of the court in which the document was originally filed. Prefiled.
Other: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE