A review of state legislation affecting the courts
March 24, 2023 -- Since 2006, Gavel to Gavel has tracked state-by-state legislative activity with potential impact on state courts.
Notable legislation includes:
- Maine bill would shrink the state's Supreme Judicial Court from 7 members down to 5.
- Oklahoma House approves the creation of a Board of Judicial Performance Evaluation and Office of Judicial Performance; Board members would be selected by House and Senate leaders + Governor.
- Oklahoma House also approves plan to tie salaries of statewide officials to that of judges; similar plan had been in place from 1997-2015 but repealed.
- Montana measure would create a "judge performance indicator display" for the public; data would include number of times judge was overturned on appeal and each individual judge's caseload and workload.
- Idaho House and Senate, Maryland Senate, and Oklahoma House advance bills to shield judges’ and their family's home addresses and telephone numbers from public disclosure.
- Maryland bill to require remote audio-visual public access for all public court proceedings rejected in committee.