March 15, 2024 -- Since 2006, Gavel to Gavel has tracked state-by-state legislative activity with potential impact on state courts.
New and active legislation includes:
- Judicial Security
- Bills that prohibit government entities from releasing information regarding judges approved by the Georgia House Judiciary Committee, the full Mississippi Senate, and the Minnesota House Judiciary, Finance, and Civil Law Committee; and
- Wisconsin package of judicial security legislation on its way to the governor's desk includes provisions that a judicial officer’s and a judicial officer’s immediate family’s personal information is generally exempt from public records request, and provides for civil and criminal remedies if such information is disclosed.
- Judicial Selection
- Idaho House bill changes the way it fills judicial vacancies caused by retirement during a judge's term and attaches it to a plan to raise judicial salaries; the Idaho Senate already approved a plan that increases judges' salaries without similar language;
- Louisiana Senate committee approves bill to redistrict state's supreme court; and
- Oklahoma Senate approves constitutional amendment to end merit selection for appellate judges and replace with a system where the governor nominates and the senate confirms judges subject to life terms/service "during good behavior."
- Salary and Budget
- Michigan House committee approves efforts to restructure the way the state pays for trial courts and requires the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) to analyze certain trial court costs and revenue sources and develop legislative proposals to change trial court funding.
- Other
- California Assembly Judiciary Committee approves a bill that requires the Judicial Council to establish a training program for judicial officers regarding the treatment of alleged sexual abuse and assault victims in courtrooms.