Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced
Connecticut HB 6648 Increases small claims jurisdiction from $5,000 to $7,500. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Hawaii SB 427 Provides small claims division has exclusive jurisdiction in cases up to $1,000. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
New York AB 2157 Increases the jurisdictional limit from $3,000 to $5,000 for justice courts In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
New York AB 2944 Increases small claims jurisdiction to $10,000. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
New York SB 3042 Increases small claims jurisdiction to $10,000. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Texas SB 525 Creates study to review of state laws requiring an action or proceeding to be brought in Travis County or a Travis County court. Prefiled.
Wyoming SJR 6 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides any finance system for public schools by state legislature presumed valid and that a rational basis standard of review must be used by courts. In Senate (no committee).
Wyoming SJR 9 (Constitutional Amendment) Grants legislature sole power to determine school financing. Provides no court shall require funding or tax beyond legislature's approved law. In Senate Education Committee.
Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced
Connecticut HJR 53 (Constitutional Amendment) Allows probate judge to complete term he or she reaches 70. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Connecticut SB 363 Requires the Chief Court Administrator to arrange for the provision of training on parental alienation for any judge assigned to hear family court matters. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Connecticut SB 594 Require that all judges of the Superior Court attend trainings from outside experts on sexual assault and domestic violence. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Florida HJR 1 (Constitutional Amendment) Limits appellate judges to 12 consecutive years in office. In House (no committee).
Florida SJR 482 (Constitutional Amendment) Limits appellate judges to two consecutive full terms. Requires appellate judges before taking office be at least 50 years old and have had 1 year experience as a judge. Applies restrictions to any judge in office as January 1, 2019. In Senate (no committee).
Georgia HB 88 Provides Superior Court judge loses office immediately upon being disbarred or suspended from practice of law. In House Judiciary Committee.
Indiana HB 1564 Repeals law requiring all town/city judges be attorneys. Provides attorney judges required in specified courts and any city/town with a population over 10,000. In House Courts and Criminal Code Committee.
Mississippi HB 1422 Require administrative office of courts to develop optional training plan for Justice Court judges and provide salary increase for completion. In House Judiciary A Committee.
Nebraska LR 18 (Constitutional Amendment) Sets minimum age to serve as judge or other official as "federal voting age" and subject to other qualifications added by law. In Senate Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
Oklahoma HB 1923 Provides mandatory retirement age of 75 for appellate judges entering service after November 1, 2017. Prefiled.
Oklahoma SB 699 Provides mandatory retirement age of 80 for appellate judges. Prefiled.
Oklahoma SB 708 Requires nominees for District Court have tried to verdict at least 3 jury trials. Prefiled.
Texas HB 1172 Allows retired judges who have been reprimanded, censured, or who resigned before such a reprimand/censure/discipline to be temporarily recalled back into service. Prefiled.
Wisconsin AB 33 Requires a municipal judge to be a licensed Wisconsin attorney. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced
Arizona HB 2220 Prohibits the court from designating a paper transcript of a proceeding as the only official record, if the proceeding was recorded electronically, and the recording is audible. Requires the court to provide electronic access and filing privileges to clients and pro se litigants if the access and privileges are available to attorneys. In House Judiciary Committee.
Arizona HB 2295 Establishes the Supreme Court as the entity responsible for licensing attorneys for the practice of law in Arizona. Provides all regulatory functions relating to the practice of law, including the regulation of attorneys in this state, are within the authority of the supreme court alone. In House Judiciary Committee.
Arizona HB 2300 Provides all regulatory functions relating to the practice of law within the authority of the supreme court. Provides all regulatory functions that are administered by the state bar including all public protection functions are transferred to and placed exclusively in the supreme court. In House Judiciary Committee.
Oklahoma HB 1234 Court Records Protection and Modernization Act. Allows for destruction or disposal of paper records if otherwise recorded onto media product approved by Supreme Court. Prefiled.
Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced
Arizona HB 2245 Modifies the current Judicial Productivity Credits formula for justices of the peace by changing the weight given to specific types of filings. In House Judiciary Committee.
Arizona HB 2245 Requires supreme court report to the governor and the legislature the amount of fees that were collected by every court including the revenue and collection rates for each court. In House Judiciary Committee.
Arizona SB 1161 Creates Statewide Court Security Fund. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Arkansas HB 1340 Amends laws related to investment practices of the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System. In Joint Public Retirement & Social Security Programs Committee.
Arkansas HB 1348 Amends laws related to administration of the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System. In Joint Public Retirement & Social Security Programs Committee.
Arkansas HB 1349 Amends laws related to board of trustees of the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System. In Joint Public Retirement & Social Security Programs Committee.
Arkansas HB 1350 Amends laws related to benefit payments of the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System. In Joint Public Retirement & Social Security Programs Committee.
Arkansas HB 1351 Amends laws related to accounting and auditing practices of the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System. In Joint Public Retirement & Social Security Programs Committee.
Arkansas SB 211 Amends laws related to the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System. In Joint Public Retirement & Social Security Programs Committee.
Connecticut SB 283 Provides that no person receiving a judicial pension shall receive pension payments while reemployed in state service. In Joint Committee on Appropriations.
Mississippi HB 1341 Requires counties pay county court administrators directly. In House Revenue Committee.
Mississippi SB 2908 Provides for retirement purposes earned compensation of members of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals includes all remuneration except mileage. In Senate Finance Committee.
Nebraska LB 647 Changes judicial salaries (placeholder). In Senate Judiciary Committee.
New Mexico SB 142 Allows AOC director to apply for and receive, in the name of the administrative office of the courts, any public or private funds, including United States government funds, available to carry out its programs, duties or services. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
New York SB 2958 Provides that the salaries of county, family and surrogate's court judges shall be the same as that of justices of the supreme court (note in New York, Supreme Court is a court of general jurisdiction). In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Oklahoma HB 1631 Creates Court Clerk's Records Management and Preservation Funds. Prefiled.
Texas HB 1167 Provides county judge is entitled to an annual salary supplement from the state in an amount equal to 25 (currently 18 percent of the annual compensation provided for a district judge in the General Appropriations Act if at least 40 percent of the functions that the judge performs are judicial functions. Prefiled.
Wyoming HB 175 Links salaries for governor and other executive branch officials to that of judges in state. In House Corporations Committee.
Wyoming HB 192 Increases court automation fee from $10 to $20. In House Minerals Committee.
Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity
Massachusetts HB 58 Increases judicial salaries and those of other state officials. Approved by full House 1/25/17. Senate approves with its amendment 1/26/17. House concurs with Senate amendment 1/26/17. To Governor for approval.
Massachusetts SB 16 Increases judicial salaries and those of other state officials. See HB 58
Selection: Newly Introduced
Hawaii HB 1 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides judges to be reconfirmed by senate at end of terms. Provides for default confirmation for District Courts if Senate fails to act within given timeframes. Extends from 30 to 90 days time for Senate to act on confirmations. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Hawaii HB 1186 (Constitutional Amendment) Amends the timeframe to renew the term of office of a justice or judge and require consent of the senate for a justice or judge to renew a term of office In House (no committee).
Hawaii SB 328 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for senate reconfirmation for judges seeking additional terms in office. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Hawaii SB 673 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for senate reconfirmation for judges seeking additional terms in office. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Mississippi HB 1256 Changes Justice Court races to non-partisan. Declares judgeship is a part-time office and that judge may continue to practice law. In House Judiciary A Committee.
Mississippi HB 960 Requires election of municipal court judges. In House Apportionment and Elections Committee.
New Mexico SJR 10 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for nonpartisan election of judges of state's higher courts (Supreme, Court of Appeals, District, and Metropolitan). In Senate Rules Committee.
Oklahoma HB 1308 Placeholder Prefiled.
Oklahoma HB 1350 Provides for nonpartisan election of clerks of court and other county officials. Prefiled.
Oklahoma SB 700 Vacates all current Judicial Nomination Committee members selected by Oklahoma State bar. Provides Lt. Governor and Attorney General to name 4 of 6 attorney members and Oklahoma Bar may name remaining 2. Prefiled.
Oklahoma SJR 14 (Constitutional Amendment) Requires judges facing retention vote receive at least a 60% yes vote to remain in office. Prefiled.
Texas HB 1242 Modifies petition requirements for an application for a place on the general primary election ballot for certain judicial offices. Prefiled.
Utah HB 191 Modifies provisions related to when the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission shall allow a judge to appear before the Commission. Provides for reconsideration if the Utah Supreme Court issues a public sanction of a judge before the voter information pamphlet is published. Addresses confidentiality and anonymity of survey responses. Modifies minimum performance standards. Addresses intercept surveys for justice court judges administered by the commission. In House Judiciary Committee.
Wyoming SF 130 Provides for nonpartisan election of county officials, including clerks of court. In Senate (no committee).
Selection: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Structure Changes: Newly Introduced
Hawaii HB 1252 Changes the composition of judges of the intermediate appellate court, circuit courts, district courts, and family courts. In House (no committee).
Hawaii SB 276 Changes the composition of judges of the intermediate appellate court, circuit courts, district courts, and family courts. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Indiana HB 1648 Authorizes creation of elder courts. In House Courts and Criminal Code Committee.
Iowa HF 35 Creates a veterans treatment court in every judicial district. In House (no committee).
Mississippi HB 1203 Authorizes and sets certification for mental health courts. In House Public Health and Human Services Committee.
Mississippi HB 943 Authorizes and sets certification for mental health courts. In House Public Health and Human Services Committee.
New York SB 3098 Authorizes the Office of Court Administration to set up specialized "medical courts" to adjudicate medical liability actions within five counties across New York State. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Oklahoma HB 1699 Reduces Supreme Court from 9 members down to 5. Prefiled.
Oklahoma HJR 1025 (Constitutional Amendment) Changes name of State Industrial Court to Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims. Prefiled.
Oklahoma SB 702 Adjusts Supreme Court districts. Prefiled.
South Carolina HB 3512 Requires member of legislature voting on a judicial candidate to recuse if candidate contributed to legislator's campaign. In House Judiciary Committee.
Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity
Mississippi SB 2842 Authorizes and sets certification for mental health courts. Approved by Senate Judiciary A Committee 1/26/17.
Other: Newly Introduced
Florida HB 301 Requires Supreme Court report annually to governor and legislature cases taking longer than 180 days from oral argument to final decision and explain in detail the reasons for the delay as well as anticipated date for a final decision. Prefiled.
Florida HB 441 Provides exemption from liability for inadvertent release of certain information by clerk of court. In House (no committee).
Hawaii HB 863 Requires the Judiciary to post information on its websites in both English and Hawaiian In House (no committee).
Indiana HB 1465 Grants immunity under the Indiana tort claims act for the adoption or enforcement, or the failure to adopt or enforce, a security policy in a building used by a governmental entity, unless the enforcement constitutes false arrest or false imprisonment. Adds to the definition of "law enforcement officer" a member of the security staff of a circuit or superior court acting under a court security policy. In House Judiciary Committee.
Iowa HF 52 Includes in criminal offense of interference with judicial acts persons the county provides to the court to provide bailiff and other law enforcement services In House Judiciary Committee.
Maryland HB 165 Enacts Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act In House Health and Government Operations Committee.
Maryland SB 137 Enacts Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act In Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.
Mississippi HB 1411 Require electronic recording of with video and audio of all courtroom proceedings that are open to the public. In House Judiciary A Committee.
Mississippi SB 2868 Subjects Judicial Performance Commission meetings to Open Meetings Law. In Senate Judiciary A Committee
Mississippi SCR 563 (Constitutional Amendment) Subjects Commission on Judicial Performance to Open Meetings and Open Records laws. In Senate Judiciary A Committee
Nebraska LB 544 Eliminates the office of clerk of the district court. Allows duties to be transferred per agreement between county board and State Court Administrator. Provides on elimination of office, clerk employees become state employees. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
New York AB 1922 Enacts uniform electronic legal material act. In Assembly Governmental Operations Committee.
New York AB 1936 Requires the office of court administration to collect and maintain data on limited English proficient litigants in the state In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
New York AB 2503 Provides trial judge must render decisions within 90 days. Provides failure to do so in 5 instances, or failure to do so for more than 2 years in 1 instance, will result in removal from office. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Oklahoma SB 626 Changes statutes regarding courtroom interpreters. Prefiled.
Pennsylvania HB 149 Makes it a crime to make use of a device to record video, audio, or take photographs in a courtroom or hearing room, or in the entrances of these facilities, without the permission of the presiding officer, or as permitted by the rules of court. In House Judiciary Committee.
Texas HB 1258 Provides anyone operating an electronic court record database may not allow public access to any court document electronically filed with a county court, statutory county court, or district court in this state unless the clerk of the court enters into a written agreement with the person authorizing public access to the document through the database and the commissioners court of the county in which the court is located approves the agreement. Prefiled.
Washington HB 1186 Requires presiding officers to appoint a certified, registered, or qualified interpreter at public expense in all legal proceedings in which a non-English-speaking per son is a party or is compelled to appear. Provides for reimbursement by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) of one-half of the costs for interpreters, subject to the availability of funds specifically appropriated for this purpose. Requires presiding officers to track and provide interpreter cost and usage data annually to the AOC. In House Judiciary Committee.
Washington HB 1378 Replaces all references to judicial recusal "motion or affidavit of prejudice" with notice of disqualification. Adds language regarding what are discretionary rulings. In House Judiciary Committee.
Washington HB 1396 Repeals law that provides clerk of court is "to conform to the direction of the court" and replaces with "To support the court in the performance of the courts' statutory duties." Repeals requirement that the Washington association of county officials report on the amounts of legal financial obligations collected by the county clerks to the appropriate committees of the legislature. In House Judiciary Committee.
Other: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE