SB458: Bill Text

MLJ:amn&kjf

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Senate BILL 458

September 27, 2019 - Introduced by Senators Petrowski, Bewley, Bernier, LeMahieu, Schachtner, L. Taylor, Testin and Tiffany, cosponsored by Representatives Tusler, Tittl, McGuire, Edming, Ballweg, Bowen, Crowley, Goyke, Neubauer, Petersen, Petryk, Schraa, Spiros, Summerfield, Zamarripa and Vruwink. Referred to Joint Committee on Finance.

SB458,1,2 An Act to create 753.0605 of the statutes; relating to: adding 12 circuit court branches to be allocated by the director of state courts.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill adds 12 additional circuit court branches to be allocated by the director of state courts as follows: four circuit court branches in 2020, four circuit court branches in 2021, and four circuit court branches in 2022. The director of state courts may allocate the branches to any county the director of state courts determines is in need of an additional circuit court branch if the county has passed a resolution requesting an additional circuit court branch and if the county has established or will have established by May 31 of the year in which the circuit court branch becomes effective the appropriate infrastructure to support the additional circuit court branch. The director of state courts may require any county, as a condition for receiving a circuit court branch allocation, to have established or to apply for a grant to establish a drug court.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB458,1 Section 1 . 753.0605 of the statutes is created to read:

SB458,2,2 753.0605 Additional circuit court branches. Notwithstanding s. 753.06, the director of state courts may add additional circuit court branches as follows:

SB458,2,12 (1) By November 14, 2019, the director of state courts may add 4 additional circuit court branches, to begin operation on August 1, 2020. The director of state courts may allocate each branch to any county that the director of state courts determines is in need of an additional circuit court branch if the county has passed a resolution requesting an additional circuit court branch and the county has established, or will have established by May 31, 2020, the appropriate infrastructure to support an additional circuit court branch. The director of state courts may require any county, as a condition for receiving a circuit court branch allocation under this subsection, to have established or to apply for a grant under s. 165.95 or 165.955 to establish a drug court.

SB458,2,22 (2) After November 14, 2019, and before November 14, 2020, the director of state courts may add 4 additional circuit court branches, to begin operation on August 1, 2021. The director of state courts may allocate each branch to any county that the director of state courts determines is in need of an additional circuit court branch if the county has passed a resolution requesting an additional circuit court branch and the county has established, or will have established by May 31, 2021, the appropriate infrastructure to support an additional circuit court branch. The director of state courts may require any county, as a condition for receiving a circuit court branch allocation under this subsection, to have established or to apply for a grant under s. 165.95 or 165.955 to establish a drug court.

SB458,3,7 (3) After November 14, 2020, and before November 14, 2021, the director of state courts may add 4 additional circuit court branches, to begin operation on August 1, 2022. The director of state courts may allocate each branch to any county that the director of state courts determines is in need of an additional circuit court branch if the county has passed a resolution requesting an additional circuit court branch and the county has established, or will have established by May 31, 2022, the appropriate infrastructure to support an additional circuit court branch. The director of state courts may require any county, as a condition for receiving a circuit court branch allocation under this subsection, to have established or to apply for a grant under s. 165.95 or 165.955 to establish a drug court.

SB458,2 Section 2 . Nonstatutory provisions.

SB458,3,16 (1) Election for circuit court judgeships. The initial election for circuit judge positions created under s. 753.0605 (1) shall be at the spring election of 2020 for a term beginning on August 1, 2020, and ending on July 31, 2026. The initial election for circuit judge positions created under s. 753.0605 (2) shall be at the spring election of 2021 for a term beginning on August 1, 2021, and ending on July 31, 2027. The initial election for circuit judge positions created under s. 753.0605 (3) shall be at the spring election of 2022 for a term beginning on August 1, 2022, and ending on July 31, 2028.

SB458,3,17 (2) Circuit court positions.

SB458,3,21 (a) The authorized FTE positions for the circuit courts are increased by 4.0 GPR circuit court judge positions on August 1, 2020, to be funded from the appropriation under s. 20.625 (1) (a), to provide one circuit court judge in each of the circuit court branches created under s. 753.0605 (1).

SB458,3,25 (b) The authorized FTE positions for the circuit courts are increased by 4.0 GPR court reporter positions on August 1, 2020, to be funded from the appropriation under s. 20.625 (1) (a), to provide one court reporter in each of the circuit court branches created under s. 753.0605 (1).

SB458,4,3 (3) Biennial budget request. The 2021-23 biennial budget request to the department of administration from the director of state courts for the court system shall include all of the following:

SB458,4,5 (a) Funding for 8 circuit court judge positions for the circuit court branches created under s. 753.0605 (2) and (3).

SB458,4,7 (b) Funding for 8 circuit court reporter positions for the circuit court branches created under s. 753.0605 (2) and (3).

SB458,4,9 (c) Any proposed statutory changes necessary to conform the statutes to account for circuit court branches added under s. 753.0605.

SB458,4,10 (End)