Legislature(2005 - 2006)BUTROVICH 205
02/09/2006 08:30 AM Senate JUDICIARY
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB237 | |
| SB10 | |
| SB209 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 209 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 240 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 107 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| = | SB 237 | ||
| = | SB 10 | ||
SB 237-ADDITIONAL JUDGES FOR THIRD DISTRICT
8:35:57 AM
CHAIR RALPH SEEKINS announced SB 237 to be up for consideration.
SUSAN PARKES, Deputy Attorney General, Department of Law (DOL),
offered the committee a letter of intent to replace Section 1,
which was the findings and intent section. On the topic of an
additional judge in Palmer, she reported that the DOL supports
it and Chris Christianson was prepared to report further on the
facility needs.
8:37:16 AM
CHRIS CHRISTIANSON, Deputy Administrative Director, Alaska Court
System, reported that two additional judges in Palmer would be
appreciated. Facility space is a problem and so they would have
to continue to hold night court, which is actually working out
and the residents appreciate the convenience.
8:39:09 AM
SENATOR CHARLIE HUGGINS asked Mr. Christianson whether adding
two additional judges to the Palmer court system was a
reasonable thing to do.
MR. CHRISTIANSON said yes.
8:41:49 AM
SENATOR HUGGINS moved to adopt the letter of intent. Hearing no
objection, the letter of intent was adopted.
SENATOR HUGGINS moved Amendment 2. Include a second additional
judge for the Palmer courts. Hearing no objection, Amendment 2
was adopted.
SENATOR GRETCHEN GUESS noted that the letter of intent does not
address subsection (b) of Section 1 and queried whether that
needed to be spelled out.
8:43:58 AM
MS. PARKES countered the last paragraph of the letter of intent
does spell it out. She intentionally left out the specific
number of additional judges since it could change in the next
committee of referral, which is the Senate Finance Standing
Committee.
CHAIR SEEKINS said by adding six positions the Legislature would
trust that they would be assigned to the judicial districts
where they are intended. He said yesterday's action of removing
Section 1 and then amending it would call for some corrective
work on the bill.
SENATOR HOLLIS FRENCH said detailing Section 2 of the bill with
specific identification of the intended judicial districts could
address the problem.
8:46:19 AM
MR. CHRISTIANSON added that normally the drafter puts the
locations in the title. In this case, everyone is in agreement
of where the need is.
SENATOR GUESS moved Amendment 3. Amend the title to read, "An
Act increasing the number of superior court judges designated
for the third and fourth judicial districts. Provide additional
superior court judges in Anchorage, Palmer, Kenai and Fairbanks,
and providing for an effective date." Hearing no objection,
Amendment 3 was adopted.
SENATOR FRENCH moved Amendment 4. Detail the number of superior
court judges per each judicial district. The superior court
consists of 40 judges; five of whom shall be judges in the first
judicial district, three of whom shall be judges in the second
judicial district, twenty-four of whom shall be judges in the
third judicial district, and eight of whom shall be judges in
the fourth judicial district and the rest shall stay the same.
Hearing no objection, Amendment 4 was adopted.
SENATOR GUESS moved CSSB 237(JUD) as amended with the attached
letter of intent, individual recommendations, and attached
fiscal note, which is to be updated to reflect the additional
judges. Hearing no objections, the motion carried.
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