03/08/2019 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 41                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the number of superior court                                                                           
     judges in the third judicial district; and providing                                                                       
     for an effective date."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:07:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
NANCY MEADE,  GENERAL COUNSEL,  ALASKA COURT  SYSTEM, stated                                                                    
that  the bill  increased  the allotted  number of  Superior                                                                    
Court judges  by two,  and specified that  they would  be in                                                                    
the  third judicial  district. The  converted seats  were in                                                                    
Homer  and  Valdez. She  announced  that  it was  a  general                                                                    
belief that this is an appropriate move forward.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:14:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wielechowski  queried the size  of the case  load in                                                                    
Homer and Valdez.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Meade replied that the  Superior Court caseload in Homer                                                                    
was approximately  300 cases, which  was less than  Kenai or                                                                    
Anchorage. The  substitution allowed for the  Homer judge to                                                                    
carry the District  Court cases. She stated  that Valdez had                                                                    
approximately 200 Superior Court  cases, but there were many                                                                    
District Court cases.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wielechowski queried  the average  on strikes,  and                                                                    
how the time would be used during those strikes.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Meade responded  that a  party  always had  a right  to                                                                    
challenge the  judge once. She  stated that there  were many                                                                    
single  judge  locations,  and if  a  party  preempted  that                                                                    
judge, coverage would be found elsewhere.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson  queried the future anticipated  frequency of                                                                    
other  district  courts  stepping in.  He  wondered  whether                                                                    
there were other courts where  the Alaska Court System would                                                                    
make a similar move from  the Superior Court to the District                                                                    
Court.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Meade replied  in the negative. These were  the last two                                                                    
locations that were anticipated.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:21:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Meade reviewed the fiscal note.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:22:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof OPENED public testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  von Imhof  announced that  amendments were  due by                                                                    
5pm on Monday, March 11.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SB  41  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.