HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2407

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to judges pro tempore.

Brief Description:  Authorizing judges pro tempore whenever a judge serves on a commission, board, or committee.

Sponsors:  Representatives Lantz, Esser and Haigh; by request of Board for Judicial Administration.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Judiciary:  1/27/00, 2/3/00 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/11/00, 96-0.

Passed Senate:  3/2/00, 44-1.

Passed Legislature.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Authorizes the appointment of judges pro tempore when a judge serves on a judicial commission, board, or committee.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Carrell, Republican Co-Chair; Constantine, Democratic Co-Chair; Hurst, Democratic Vice Chair; Lambert, Republican Vice Chair; Cox; Dickerson; Esser; Kastama; Lantz; Lovick; McDonald and Schindler.

Staff:  Edie Adams (786-7180).

Background:

The courts of the state are authorized to appoint judges pro tempore to temporarily serve in the absence of a regular judge, or if necessary for the administration of justice or to deal with an excess caseload.  Judges pro tempore are usually attorneys or retired judges.  Compensation for judges pro tempore appointed for the supreme court, court of  appeals, and superior courts is established in statute.  Compensation for district and municipal court judges pro tempore are determined by the local legislative authority.

Currently, only district courts are specifically authorized to appoint, without reduction in salary, judges pro tempore while a regular judge is serving on a judicial commission established by the Legislature or the chief justice of the supreme court.  Each district court judge is authorized up to 15 days for service on such commissions without reduction in salary.

Summary of Bill:

A judge pro tempore may be appointed when a court of appeals, superior court, or municipal court judge serves on a judicial commission, board, or committee established by the Legislature or the chief justice of the supreme court.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 19, 2000.

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

Testimony For:  The composition of the Board for Judicial Administration (BJA) is being expanded to include more trial court judges who are currently not granted pro tem time for participation on the BJA.  This will allow representation from smaller jurisdictions which currently may not have the ability to attend for calendar reasons.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Chuck Foster, Board for Judicial Administration.