H.B. 336

             1     

COURT SYSTEM TASK FORCE

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Jeremy A. Peterson

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill creates the Court System Task Force, composed of 15 members, and specifies
             10      study issues.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    creates the Court System Task Force, composed of 15 members;
             14          .    requires the task force to study issues regarding the structure, jurisdiction, and
             15      organization of the court system in Utah; and
             16          .    requires that the task force provide the Judiciary Interim Committee with a report of
             17      the task force's recommendations by November 30, 2015.
             18      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             19          This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2013-14:
             20          .    to the Senate, as a one-time appropriation:
             21              .    from the General Fund, $9,240, to pay for the Court System Task Force; and
             22          .    to the House of Representatives, as a one-time appropriation:
             23              .    from the General Fund, $18,480, to pay for the Court System Task Force.
             24      Other Special Clauses:
             25          This bill is repealed on December 1, 2015.
             26      Uncodified Material Affected:
             27      ENACTS UNCODIFIED MATERIAL


             28     
             29      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             30          Section 1. Court System Task Force -- Creation -- Membership -- Quorum --
             31      Compensation -- Staff.
             32          (1) There is created the Court System Task Force consisting of the following 15
             33      members:
             34          (a) two members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate;
             35          (b) four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
             36      House of Representatives;
             37          (c) the chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court, or the chief justice's designee;
             38          (d) the Utah attorney general, or the attorney general's designee;
             39          (e) the executive director of the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice;
             40          (f) the director of the Utah Prosecution Council, or the director's designee;
             41          (g) a representative from the League of Cities and Towns;
             42          (h) a member of the Utah Association of Counties;
             43          (i) a member of the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers appointed by the
             44      board of directors;
             45          (j) one member of the Utah State Bar who does not practice in the areas of criminal
             46      prosecution or defense, appointed by the director; and
             47          (k) a member of the public with knowledge of and interest in the courts, jointly
             48      appointed by the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives.
             49          (2) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed
             50      under Subsection (1)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
             51          (b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
             52      of Representatives appointed under Subsection (1)(b) as a cochair of the task force.
             53          (3) A majority of the members of the task force constitutes a quorum. The action of a
             54      majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the task force.
             55          (4) (a) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force who are legislators shall
             56      be paid in accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Chapter 3,
             57      Legislator Compensation.
             58          (b) A member of the task force who is not a legislator may not receive compensation


             59      for the member's work associated with the task force, but may receive per diem and
             60      reimbursement for travel expenses incurred as a member of the task force at the rates
             61      established by the Division of Finance under Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107 .
             62          (5) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
             63      to the task force.
             64          Section 2. Duties -- Interim report.
             65          (1) The task force shall study the following issues:
             66          (a) the structure of the current court system, including justice courts;
             67          (b) whether adding specialized divisions would enhance the efficiency of the system;
             68          (c) court commissioners;
             69          (d) the jurisdictional limits of the different levels of courts;
             70          (e) options for promoting other avenues of dispute resolution; and
             71          (f) any other issue relating to court organization and efficiency.
             72          (2) A final report, including any proposed legislation, shall be presented to the
             73      Judiciary Interim Committee before November 30, 2015.
             74          Section 3. Appropriation.
             75          Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
             76      the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, the following sums of money
             77      are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
             78      previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated for the fiscal year beginning
             79      July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015. These are additions to any amounts previously
             80      appropriated for fiscal year 2015.
             81          To Legislature - Senate
             82              From General Fund, one-time
$9,240

             83              Schedule of Programs:
             84                  Administration                 $9,240
             85          To Legislature - House of Representatives
             86              From General Fund, one-time
$18,480

             87              Schedule of Programs:
             88                  Administration                 $18,480
             89          Section 4. Repeal date.


             90          This bill is repealed on December 1, 2015.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-6-14 12:09 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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