ADD & ELIMINATE JUDGESHIPS - H.B. 5357 (H-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 5357 (Substitute H-2 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)
Sponsor: Representative Jim Howell
House Committee: Civil Law and the Judiciary
Senate Committee: Judiciary
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised Judicature Act (RJA) to authorize two additional circuit court judgeships in the 16th Circuit (Macomb County). The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bills 76, 764, 765, 786, and 825, which would revise the number of judgeships in various courts throughout the State.
The 16th Circuit has nine judges. Under the bill, subject to Section 550 of the RJA, that circuit could have two additional judges effective January 1, 2003. If the judgeships were added by election in 2002, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes in the general election would be elected to an eight-year term, and the candidate receiving the second highest number would be elected for a six-year term. (Under Section 550, an additional circuit judgeship may not be filled by election unless each county in the circuit approves the creation of that judgeship.)
MCL 600.517 - Legislative Analyst: P. Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
Based on the 2002 salary of a circuit judge, the State would incur the following annual costs for each new circuit judgeship:
Salary $139,919
Social Security/Medicare 7,293
Defined Contribution Retirement 9,794
Total $157,006
Local costs would depend on the cost of fringe benefits for judges provided by the county, support staff costs, and whether additional office courtroom facilities would be necessary.
According to the Judicial Resources Recommendation of August 2001, the current 16th Circuit court facility can absorb space requirements for the new judgeships. The report also states that each circuit judge is provided with a secretary, court reporter, court clerk, and an assigned court officer from the sheriff's department.
Date Completed: 12-11-01 - Fiscal Analyst: B. BowermanFloor\hb5357 - Bill Analysis @ http://www.senate.state.mi.us/sfa
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.