SB144INTRODUCED
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XQM2ZE-1
By Senator Barfoot
RFD: Finance and Taxation General Fund
First Read: 23-Mar-23
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5 XQM2ZE-1 03/07/2023 CNB (L) bm 2023-617
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SYNOPSIS:
This bill would create three additional circuit
judgeships and two additional district judgeships to be
funded out of the State General Fund in Fiscal Year
2024 as follows: an additional circuit judgeship,
designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 4, in the
Eleventh Judicial Circuit comprised of Lauderdale
County; an additional circuit judgeship, designated as
Circuit Judgeship Number 4, in the Nineteenth Judicial
Circuit comprised of Autauga, Chilton, and Elmore
Counties; an additional circuit judgeship, designated
as Circuit Judgeship Number 6, in the Twenty-eighth
Judicial Circuit comprised of Baldwin County; an
additional district judgeship, designated as District
Judgedship Number 3, in Baldwin County; and an
additional district judgeship, designated as District
Judgeship Number 2, in DeKalb County.
This bill would create three additional circuit
judgeships and two additional district judgeships to be
funded out of the State General Fund in Fiscal Year
2025 as follows: an additional circuit judgeship,
designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 7, in the Sixth
Judicial Circuit comprised of Tuscaloosa County; an
additional circuit judgeship, designated as Circuit
Judgeship Number 9, in the Twenty-third Judicial
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Circuit comprised of Madison County; an additional
circuit judgeship, designated as Circuit Judgeship
Number 4, in the Thirty-seventh Judicial Circuit
comprised of Lee County; an additional district
judgeship, designated as District Judgeship Number 6,
in Mobile County; and an additional district judgeship,
designated as District Judgeship Number 3, in Shelby
County.
This bill would create two additional circuit
judgeships and one additional district judgeship to be
funded out of the State General Fund in Fiscal Year
2026 as follows: an additional circuit judgeship,
designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 5, in the
Nineteenth Judicial Circuit comprised of Autauga,
Chilton, and Elmore Counties; an additional circuit
judgeship, designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 7, in
the Twenty-eighth Judicial Circuit comprised of Baldwin
County; and an additional district judgeship,
designated as District Judegship Number 5, in Madison
County.
This bill would provide for the authority of the
judges and for the compensation and benefits of the
judges.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
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To provide for additional circuit judgeships and
additional district judgeships to be funded out of the State
General Fund in Fiscal Years 2024, 2025, and 2026; and to
provide for the authority of the judges and for the
compensation and benefits of the judges.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1.(a)(1) There is created an additional circuit
judgeship for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit which shall be
designated as Judgeship Number 4.
(2) There is created an additional circuit judgeship
for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit which shall be designated
as Circuit Judgeship Number 4. The judge elected to Judgeship
Number 4 may reside in any county within the Nineteenth
Judicial Circuit. The judge occupying Judgeship Number 4 shall
be assigned to the domestic relations division of the circuit.
(3) There is created an additional circuit judgeship
for the Twenty-eighth Judicial Circuit which shall be
designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 6.
(4) There is created an additional district judgeship
for Baldwin County which shall be designated as District
Judgeship Number 3.
(5) There is created an additional district judgeship
for DeKalb County which shall be designated as District
Judgeship Number 2.
(b) The additional judgeships created pursuant to
subsection (a) shall be filled at the next general election
after the effective date of this act.
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(c) The initial judges elected to the additional
judgeships created pursuant to subsection (a) shall serve for
a six-year term holding office from the first Monday following
the second Tuesday in January after the general election at
which the judges are elected.
(d) The initial judges elected to the additional
judgeships created pursuant to subsection (a) shall have and
shall exercise all the jurisdiction, power, rights, and
authority and shall possess all of the qualifications, perform
all of the duties, and shall be subject to all of the
responsibilities and duties of the office to which other
judges are subject.
(e) The annual compensation of the additional judges
elected pursuant to subsection (a) shall be in accordance with
Chapter 10A of Title 12, Code of Alabama 1975, including, but
not limited to, the provision that no judge first elected or
appointed to office after October 1, 2001, may be provided a
salary supplement or expense allowance.
(f) Funding for the additional judgeships created
pursuant to subsection (a) shall be made from the State
General Fund appropriation to the Unified Judicial System
commencing in Fiscal Year 2024.
Section 2. (a)(1) There is created an additional
circuit judgeship for the Sixth Judicial Circuit which shall
be designated as Judgeship Number 7.
(2) There is created an additional circuit judgeship
for the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit which shall be
designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 9.
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(3) There is created an additional circuit judgeship
for the Thirty-seventh Judicial Circuit which shall be
designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 4.
(4) There is created an additional district judgeship
for Mobile County which shall be designated as District
Judgeship Number 6.
(5) There is created an additional district judgeship
for Shelby County which shall be designated as District
Judgeship Number 3.
(b) The additional judgeships created pursuant to
subsection (a) shall be filled at the next general election
after the effective date of this act.
(c) The initial judges elected to the additional
judgeships created pursuant to subsection (a) shall serve for
a six-year term holding office from the first Monday following
the second Tuesday in January after the general election at
which the judges are elected.
(d) The initial judges elected to the additional
judgeships created pursuant to subsection (a) shall have and
shall exercise all the jurisdiction, power, rights, and
authority and shall possess all of the qualifications, perform
all of the duties, and shall be subject to all of the
responsibilities and duties of the office to which other
judges are subject.
(e) The annual compensation of the additional judges
elected pursuant to subsection (a) shall be in accordance with
Chapter 10A of Title 12, Code of Alabama 1975, including, but
not limited to, the provision that no judge first elected or
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appointed to office after October 1, 2001, may be provided a
salary supplement or expense allowance.
(f) Funding for the additional judgeships created
pursuant to subsection (a) shall be made from the State
General Fund appropriation to the Unified Judicial System
commencing in Fiscal Year 2025.
Section 3. (a)(1) There is created an additional
circuit judgeship for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit which
shall be designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 5. The judge
elected to Judgeship Number 5 may reside in any county within
the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit.
(2) There is created an additional circuit judgeship
for the Twenty-eighth Judicial Circuit which shall be
designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 7.
(3) There is created an additional district judgeship
for Madison County which shall be designated as District
Judgeship Number 5.
(b) The additional judgeships created pursuant to
subsection (a) shall be filled at the next general election
after the effective date of this act.
(c) The initial judges elected to the additional
judgeships created pursuant to subsection (a) shall serve for
a six-year term holding office from the first Monday following
the second Tuesday in January after the general election at
which the judges are elected.
(d) The initial judges elected to the additional
judgeships created pursuant to subsection (a) shall have and
shall exercise all the jurisdiction, power, rights, and
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authority and shall possess all of the qualifications, perform
all of the duties, and shall be subject to all of the
responsibilities and duties of the office to which other
judges are subject.
(e) The annual compensation of the additional judges
elected pursuant to subsection (a) shall be in accordance with
Chapter 10A of Title 12, Code of Alabama 1975, including, but
not limited to, the provision that no judge first elected or
appointed to office after October 1, 2001, may be provided a
salary supplement or expense allowance.
(f) Funding for the additional judgeships created
pursuant to subsection (a) shall be made from the State
General Fund appropriation to the Unified Judicial System
commencing in Fiscal Year 2026.
Section 4. Section 1 shall become effective
immediately, Section 2 shall become effective October 1, 2024,
and Section 3 shall become effective October 1, 2025,
following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its
otherwise becoming law.
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