BILL NUMBER: SB 405	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Corbett

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2011

   An act to add Section 69616 to the Government Code, relating to
judges.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 405, as introduced, Corbett. Judgeships.
   Existing law provides that 16 subordinate judicial officer
positions in eligible superior courts, as determined by the Judicial
Council, shall be converted to judgeships. Beginning in the 2010-11
fiscal year, existing law provides that, upon subsequent
authorization by the Legislature, 146 subordinate judicial officer
positions in eligible superior courts, as determined by the Judicial
Council, shall be converted to judgeships, upon the occurrence of
specified conditions, including that the proposed action is ratified
by the Legislature, either in the annual Budget Act or another
legislative measure, except that no more than 16 positions may be
converted to judgeships in any fiscal year. Notwithstanding these
provisions, up to 10 additional subordinate judicial officer
positions in eligible superior courts may be converted to judgeships
in any fiscal year, commencing with the 2010-11 fiscal year. Each
additional position may be converted to a judgeship only if the
conversions will result in a judge being assigned to a family law or
juvenile law assignment previously presided over by a subordinate
judicial officer. Legislative ratification is required by statutory
enactment other than the annual Budget Act for the conversion of the
10 additional subordinate judicial officer positions.
   This bill would ratify the authority of the Judicial Council to
convert 10 subordinate judicial officer positions to judgeships in
the 2011-12 fiscal year where the conversion will result in a judge
being assigned to a family law or juvenile law assignment previously
presided over by a subordinate judicial officer, pursuant to these
provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 69616 is added to the Government Code, to read:

   69616.  (a) The Legislature hereby ratifies the authority of the
Judicial Council to convert 10 subordinate judicial officer positions
to judgeships in the 2011-12 fiscal year where the conversion will
result in a judge being assigned to a family law or juvenile law
assignment previously presided over by a subordinate judicial
officer, pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision
(c) of Section 69615.
   (b) The action described in subdivision (a) shall be in addition
to any action that may be taken pursuant to the authority described
in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section
69615 to convert up to 16 subordinate judicial officer positions to
judgeships.