Download Zipped Introduced WordPerfect SB0221S02.ZIP
[Status][Bill Documents][Fiscal Note][Bills Directory]

Second Substitute S.B. 221

Senator D. Chris Buttars proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
JUDICIAL SELECTION PROCEDURES AND

             2     
RETENTION ELECTION TASK FORCE

             3     
2007 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: D. Chris Buttars

             6     
House Sponsor: Curtis Oda

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill creates the Judicial Retention Election Task Force.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    designates four members of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate;
             14          .    designates seven members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the
             15      speaker of the House; and
             16          .    designates three judges appointed by the president of the Senate and speaker of the
             17      House, in consultation with the Utah Judicial Council;
             18          .    authorizes a task force to review and make recommendations to the Judicial Council
             19      and the Legislature on issues related to the judicial selection procedures, the manner
             20      of judicial retention elections, and the information provided to the public regarding
             21      a judge's judicial performance.
             22      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             23          This bill appropriates:
             24          .    $8,120 to the Senate; and
             25          .    $14,210 to the House of Representatives.


             26      Other Special Clauses:
             27          This bill is repealed on November 30, 2007.
             28      Uncodified Material Affected:
             29      ENACTS UNCODIFIED MATERIAL
             30     
             31      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             32          Section 1. Judicial Retention Election Task Force -- Creation -- Membership --
             33      Interim rules followed -- Compensation -- Staff.
             34          (1) There is created the Judicial Retention Election Task Force consisting of the
             35      following 14 members:
             36          (a) four members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than
             37      three of whom may be from the same political party;
             38          (b) seven members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
             39      House of Representatives, no more than five of whom may be from the same political party;
             40          (c) three judges, each from a different court, appointed by the president of the Senate
             41      and speaker of the House, in consultation with the Utah Judicial Council.
             42          (2) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed
             43      under Subsection (1)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
             44          (b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
             45      of Representatives appointed under Subsection (1)(b) as a cochair of the task force.
             46          (3) In conducting its business, the task force shall comply with the rules of legislative
             47      interim committees.
             48          (4) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force shall be paid in accordance
             49      with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rule 15.03.
             50          (5) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
             51      to the task force.
             52          Section 2. Duties -- Interim report.
             53          (1) The task force shall review and make recommendations to the Judicial Council and
             54      the Legislature on the following issues:
             55          (a) judicial selection procedures;
             56          (b) the value of the formal judicial evaluation program established by rule of the


             57      Judicial Council pursuant to Section 78-3-21 , in providing the public with sufficient
             58      information to make an accurate assessment of a judge's performance; and
             59          (c) an evaluation of and potential changes to:
             60          (i) the questions on the attorneys' surveys for appellate and trial court judges;
             61          (ii) selection methods of attorney respondents for judicial performance surveys; and
             62          (iii) the certification process of judges to stand for a retention election.
             63          (2) The task force may study and make recommendations upon any other issue related
             64      to judicial selection procedures, the manner of judicial retention elections, and the information
             65      provided to the public regarding a judge's judicial performance.
             66          (3) A final report, including any proposed legislation shall be presented to the Judiciary
             67      Interim Committee before November 30, 2007.
             68          Section 3. Appropriation.
             69          There is appropriated from the General Fund for fiscal year 2007 only:
             70          (1) $8,120 to the Senate to pay for the compensation and expenses of senators on the
             71      task force; and
             72          (2) $14,210 to the House of Representatives to pay for the compensation and expenses
             73      of representatives on the task force.
             74          Section 4. Repeal date.
             75          This bill is repealed on November 30, 2007.


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]