Judicial Districts

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information about the bill's impact on court operations or resident access in Tennessee.

Judicial Districts Act

This bill removes requirements for reducing funding to judicial districts with too many judges if the legislature does not pass new laws about judicial districts.

What This Bill Does

• Removes a rule that cuts funding by 10% for judicial districts with more judges than needed, as decided by the comptroller of the treasury.

Who It Names or Affects

• Judicial districts in Tennessee
• The comptroller of the treasury

Terms To Know

judicial district

A specific area where a court has authority to hear cases.

comptroller of the treasury

An official who manages government finances and provides financial reports.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if the legislature fails to pass new laws about judicial districts after removing funding reduction requirements.
• It is unclear how reducing or maintaining these requirements will affect court operations and access for residents in Tennessee.

Official Summary Text

Present law establishes
an advisory task force to review the composition of Tennessee's current judicial districts.

By no later than January 1, 2027, the task force
must
complete its findings and publish a proposed statewide judicial redistricting plan.

On or before December 31, 2027, following submission of
the
proposed redistricting plan, it is the duty of the general assembly to
(i) r
eapportion the judicial districts
codified in Tennessee Code Annotated
to provide reasonable and timely access to Tenne
ssee's circuit, chancery, and criminal courts and
(ii) p
romote the efficient utilization of publicly funded resources allocated for the courts.

If the legislature fails to pass legislation
as described above
, then
present law requires
the funding for each judicial district that has a disproportionately high number of judges, as determined by the comptroller
of the treasury, to
be reduced by 10% during the subsequent fiscal year
. However, such provision
is subject to appropriations in the general appropriations act.

The comptroller
of the treasury must
determine which judicial districts have a disproportionately high number of judges based on the
most recent census data and weighted caseload report and provide the determination to the finance, ways and means committees of the house of representatives and senate.
This bill removes the requirements described in this paragraph.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 2333
By Gardenhire
SB2333
012273
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16,
Chapter 2, Part 5, relative to judicial districts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 16-2-522, is amended by deleting
subsection (c) in its entirety.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.