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.