SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6180

              As Passed Senate, February 9, 1996

Title:  An act relating to superior court judges.

Brief Description:  Allowing additional time for phasing in additional King County superior court judges.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senator Smith; by request of Administrator for the Courts).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Law & Justice:  1/18/96, 1/24/96 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 2/9/96, 45-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6180 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Smith, Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Goings, Hargrove, Haugen, Johnson, Long, McCaslin, Roach and Schow.

Staff:  Dick Armstrong (786-7460)

Background:  In 1992, King County was authorized to establish 12 additional superior court judicial positions.  The legislation provided that the judicial positions were to be established by July 1, 1996.

At the present time, King County has nine unfilled superior court judicial positions.  King County is requesting that the time to fill such judicial positions be extended to July 1, 1999.

Summary of Bill:  The time period for King County to fill its authorized superior court judicial positions is deleted from the statute.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  King County officials and court personnel are requesting additional time to fill judicial positions that are already authorized by the Legislature.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Jan Michaels, King County (pro).

House Amendment(s):  King County has until July 1, 2006, to fill the remaining nine superior court judicial positions which were originally authorized in 1992.