Committee passes minor amendment to SB59 and approves interim court-funding study bill

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a narrowly tailored amendment to Senate Bill 59 to clarify that the covered language "shall include a person employed by a school district," a change the sponsor described as preventing an overbroad reading of the statute. The committee then passed the amendment and the bill by voice vote.

Senator Stubblefield presented House Bill 1245, which creates an interim legislative study by the House and Senate judiciary committees to examine funding sources, collection and distribution practices, and other financial matters related to the courts. The sponsor said the measure has backing from the Office of the Courts, the Municipal League, and the Association of County Officers. Committee members asked questions and, after no public sign-ups for or against the bill, moved and passed the bill by voice vote.

Both items passed the committee and will proceed through the legislative process.