7TH & 49TH CIRCUIT JUDGESHIPS S.B. 907 (S-3): FLOOR ANALYSIS




Senate Bill 907 (Substitute S-3 as reported)
Sponsor: Senator Alan L. Cropsey
Committee: Judiciary

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised Judicature Act (RJA) to allow the addition of one judgeship in the Seventh and 49th Judicial Circuits.


The Seventh Judicial Circuit consists of Genesee County and currently has nine judges. The 49th Judicial Circuit consists of Mecosta and Osceola Counties and currently has one judge. Under the bill, subject to Section 550 of the RJA, the Seventh and 49th Circuits each could have one additional judge effective January 1, 2007.

(Under Section 550, an additional circuit judgeship permitted by the RJA may not be authorized to be filled by election unless the county board of commissioners of each county in the circuit adopts a resolution approving the creation of that judgeship. The county clerk must file a copy of the resolution with the State Court Administrator by 4:00 p.m. of the 16th Tuesday preceding the August primary for the election to fill the additional judgeship.)


MCL 600.508 & 600.549a Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT
Based on current judicial salaries, the bill would cost the State the following annual amounts for each new judgeship:

Costs to the State Circuit Court
Salary $139,919
Social Security 5,840
Medicare 2,029
Defined Contribution Retirement 9,794
  Total $157,582

If the additional proposed judgeships were approved, the bill would add two circuit judgeships in 2007, which would cost the State $315,164 per year when fully implemented.


Local expenses would include the cost of benefits for judges, support staff wages and benefits, and facility space.


Date Completed: 1-19-06 Fiscal Analyst: Stephanie Yu
floor\sb907 Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org
 This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb907/0506