Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced
Connecticut SB 505 Provides state courts are to decide only those claims that the parties have raised. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity
Colorado SB 56 ORIGINAL: Increases County Court civil jurisdiction from $15,000 to $25,000. AMENDED: Increases to $35,000. Approved as amended by full Senate 3/14/18.
Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced
NONE
Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity
NONE
Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced
New Jersey AB 3685 Increases annual salary of Governor's cabinet officers, judges, county prosecutors, and certain other public employees. In Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity
New Mexico HB 235 Raises Municipal Court Automation Fee. Pocket vetoed.
West Virginia SJR 3 (Constitutional Amendment) ORIGINAL: Grants legislature power to set appropriations for judiciary (currently, constitution prohibits legislature from diminishing judiciary's budget request). Provides legislature may not make any law that conditions the increase or decrease of an item relating to the judiciary upon a particular ruling, order, or decision of a court of this state. AS AMENDED: Removes language protecting judiciary budget. Provides legislature cannot reduce budget lower than 85% of prior budget without 2/3rds approval of legislature. Approved by full House and Senate 3/10/18. To appear on November 2018 ballot.
Selection: Newly Introduced
South Carolina HB 5105 Alters membership of Judicial Merit Selection Commission. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina HJR 5106 (Constitutional Amendment) Provide for top judges to be appointed by governor with legislative consent. Repeals judicial merit screening commission. In House Judiciary Committee.
South Carolina SB 1105 Makes it illegal for a current member of the senate to appear as an attorney in a magistrate's court in a county the senator represents. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Selection: Floor and Committee Activity
Maryland HB 513 (Constitutional Amendment) Ends elections for Circuit Court judges. Provides judges to be appointed by governor, confirmed by senate, and subject to yes/no retention elections. Reduces term in office from 15 years down to 10 years. Rejected by House Judiciary Committee 3/16/18.
Maryland HB 607 (Constitutional Amendment) Ends elections for Circuit Court judges. Provides Circuit Court judges to be appointed by governor and confirmed by senate. Provides if confirmation vote is less than 80% of senate, judge is subject to contested election. Provides judges who are 80% confirmed or who win contested elect are to be reappointed by governor at end of a 15 year term and need not be reconfirmed or face another retention election. Rejected by House Judiciary Committee 3/16/18.
Structure Changes: Newly Introduced
NONE
Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity
Kentucky HB 348 AS AMENDED: Authorizes the Supreme Court to require the Administrative Office of the Courts to perform an analysis to determine the need to rearrange the judicial circuits and districts or reallocate the number of judges relative to population or caseload every eight years. Adjusts existing Circuits. Approved as amended by full House 3/12/18.
Other: Newly Introduced
Connecticut SB 483 Requires the Chief Court Administrator, in consultation with the Chief Public Defender, Chief State's Attorney and the dean of The University of Connecticut School of Law, to study the feasibility of establishing one or more opioid intervention courts in the state. In Joint Judiciary Committee.
Other: Floor and Committee Activity
Georgia HR 1260 Creates House Study Committee on Juvenile Court Judges. Approved by full House 3/15/18.
Georgia SB 436 Changes provisions relating to training, the appointment of associate probate judges. Changes filling of a vacancy of the probate court judge with associate probate judge. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 3/9/18.
Louisiana HB 524 Requires annual sexual harassment training and policies be implemented. Establishes minimum standards the policies must contain. Requires all courts report to the chief justice. Approved by House Governmental Affairs Committee 3/14/18.
Louisiana SB 123 Provides that where a city court has two divisions, candidate to declare which division he or she is running for. Creates position of chief judge and details responsibilities. Approved by Senate Judiciary A Committee 3/13/18. Approved by full Senate 3/15/18.
Oklahoma HB 2527 ORIGINAL: Allows county employees to carry guns into the courthouses they work in. AMENDED: Allows county commissioners to decide which employees may carry. Approved as amended by full House 3/13/18.
Tennessee HB 2016 Requires that the weighted caseload formula devised by the comptroller of the treasury be provided to the general assembly no later than January 1 of each year Approved by House Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee 3/14/18.