FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 2808

                                  C 191 L 90

BYRepresentatives H. Myers and Appelwick

Changing the requirements for appointing court commissioners.

House Committe on Judiciary

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The state constitution authorizes up to three superior court commissioners in each county.  Court commissioners are appointed by the elected superior court judges, and may perform most of the functions of judges, although commissioners' decisions are "subject to revision" by a judge.

A statute requires that a commissioner must be a citizen of the United States, and a resident in the county of the court to which he or she is to be appointed.

In at least one smaller county, the judges of the superior court have had difficulty in finding a qualified person within the county to serve as a commissioner.

SUMMARY:

The residency requirement for superior court commissioners is removed.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 98   0

      Senate    48     0 (Senate amended)

      Senate    43     0 (Senate receded)

EFFECTIVE:June 7, 1990