NEW CIRCUIT COURT JUDGESHIPS H.B. 5374 (H-2): COMMITTEE SUMMARY






House Bill 5374 (Substitute H-2 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative William Van Regenmorter
House Committee: Judiciary
Senate Committee: Judiciary


Date Completed: 2-17-06

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised Judicature Act (RJA) to allow the addition of one new judgeship in six circuit courts effective January 1, 2007, as shown below.



Circuit		  
County or Counties		 Current No. of Judges
6th Oakland 19
7th Genesee 9
16th Macomb 12
17th Kent 9
49th Mecosta & Osceola 1
55th Clare & Gladwin 1

The addition of the circuit court judgeships would be subject to RJA requirements for county approval before an additional judgeship is filled by election. (Under Section 550 of the RJA, 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.)


The bill specifies that if a new office of judge were added to the 49th Circuit by election in 2006, pursuant to the bill, the term of office of that judgeship would be eight years for that election only.


MCL 600.507 et al. Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT
Based on current judicial salaries, the bill would cost the State the following annual amounts for each new circuit 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 all the changes in the bill were implemented, it would add six circuit judgeships in 2007, which would cost the State $945,492 per year when fully implemented.


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

Fiscal Analyst: Stephanie Yu

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. hb5374/0506