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SF0026 • 2022

District judge positions-authorization and funding.

AN ACT relating to the judiciary; providing for an additional district court judge in the third judicial district; providing for an additional district court judge in the seventh judicial district; authorizing an additional district judge position in the sixth judicial district; specifying conditions for the authorization to be effective; providing appropriations; authorizing additional positions; and providing for an effective date.

Budget Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Judiciary
Last action
2022-03-15
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2022

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary did not specify exact details about the biennium funding or full-time equivalent positions, only that they are authorized.

Adding District Judges and Funding

This law adds district judges to three judicial districts, provides funding for two of them, and sets conditions for adding a judge in another district.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds one more district court judge position in the Third Judicial District (Sweetwater, Lincoln, and Uinta Counties).
  • Provides biennial funding and positions for the new judge in the Third Judicial District.
  • Requires suitable facilities to be provided for the new judge in the Third Judicial District.
  • Adds one more district court judge position in the Seventh Judicial District (Natrona County).
  • Provides biennial funding and positions for the new judge in the Seventh Judicial District.
  • Requires suitable facilities to be provided for the new judge in the Seventh Judicial District.
  • Authorizes an additional district judge position for the Sixth Judicial District (Campbell, Crook, and Weston Counties) if certain conditions are met.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Judges and staff in the Third, Sixth, and Seventh Judicial Districts of Wyoming.
  • The state government providing funding and support positions.

Terms To Know

Biennium
A period of two years used for budget planning by governments.
Full-time equivalent position
A measure that represents the workload of a full-time employee, even if it is spread across multiple part-time employees.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The Sixth Judicial District can only get an additional judge after the Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice certifies suitable facilities and the Legislature passes new legislation.
  • This law does not provide funding for the additional position in the Sixth Judicial District.

Bill History

  1. 2022-03-15 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 64

  2. 2022-03-15 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0025

  3. 2022-03-09 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0025

  4. 2022-03-09 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0025

  5. 2022-03-08 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0025

  6. 2022-03-08 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 52-6-2-0-0

  7. 2022-03-07 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2022-03-04 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2022-03-03 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2022-03-03 House

    H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-2-0-0-0

  11. 2022-02-28 House

    :Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations

  12. 2022-02-28 House

    H01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  13. 2022-02-25 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary

  14. 2022-02-24 House

    H Received for Introduction

  15. 2022-02-24 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 30-0-0-0-0

  16. 2022-02-23 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  17. 2022-02-22 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  18. 2022-02-21 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  19. 2022-02-21 Senate

    S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0

  20. 2022-02-18 Senate

    :Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations

  21. 2022-02-18 Senate

    S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  22. 2022-02-16 Senate

    :Rerefer to S01 - Judiciary

  23. 2022-02-16 Senate

    :Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations

  24. 2022-02-15 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary 28-2-0-0-0

  25. 2022-01-19 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  26. 2022-01-12 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 22LSO-0238
Bill No.:

SF0026

Effective:

7/1/2022 12:00:00 AM

LSO No.:

22LSO-0238

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0025

Chapter No.:

64

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Judiciary Interim Committee

Catch Title:

District judge positions-authorization and funding.

Subject:

Authorizing additional district judge positions and providing funding.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act authorizes one additional district-judge position in both the Seventh Judicial District (Natrona County) and the Third Judicial District (Sweetwater, Lincoln, and Uinta Counties).

The act provides biennial funding and positions for each of the two (2) new district-judge positions.

The act requires that suitable judicial facilities be provided in both the Third and Seventh Judicial Districts.

The act authorizes an additional district-judge position for the Sixth Judicial District (Campbell, Crook, and Weston Counties) after the Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court certifies that adequate and suitable facilities are available for the additional district judge and after the Legislature enacts legislation to authorize the filling of this additional position. This act does not provide funding for the additional position in the Sixth Judicial District.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
22LSO-0238

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0026

ENROLLED ACT NO. 25,

SENATE

SIXTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2022 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to the judiciary; providing for an additional district court judge in the third judicial district; providing for an additional district court judge in the seventh judicial district; authorizing an additional district judge position in the sixth judicial district; specifying conditions for the authorization to be effective; providing appropriations; authorizing additional positions; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 5
‑
3
‑
102(a) is amended to read:

5
‑
3
‑
102.

Number of judges; distribution among districts; concurrent jurisdiction; judicial conference to adopt rules.

(a)

There shall be two (2) judges of the district court in the second, fourth, fifth and eighth judicial districts, three (3) judges of the district court in the
third,
sixth
, seventh
and ninth judicial districts and four (4) judges of the district court in the first
, third and seventh
judicial
district
districts
. In the second judicial district, one (1) judge shall reside in Albany county and one (1) shall reside in Carbon county. In the third judicial district two (2) judges shall reside in Sweetwater county. In the fourth judicial district, one (1) judge shall reside in Sheridan county and one (1) shall reside in Johnson county. In the ninth judicial district one (1) judge shall reside in Fremont county, one (1) judge shall reside in Teton county and one (1) judge shall reside in Sublette county. All district judges in the state shall have concurrent jurisdiction throughout the state and for purposes of assignment, shall have concurrent jurisdiction throughout the state with all circuit court judges.

Section 2
.

(a)

There is appropriated from the general fund one million one hundred seventeen thousand six hundred dollars ($1,117,600.00) to the third judicial district court for the biennium beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2024. This appropriation shall only be expended for salaries, benefits, office equipment, supplies and fees necessary to implement the office of the third judicial district court judge in the third judicial district authorized in section 1 of this act. This appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2024.

(b)

There are authorized four (4) full
‑
time equivalent positions, one (1) of which shall be the judge authorized in section 1 of this act, for the third judicial district court for personnel necessary to staff and support the additional district judge for the third judicial district authorized by this act for the biennium beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2024.

(c)

Suitable facilities for the additional district judge for the third judicial district authorized in this act shall be provided in the third judicial district. Suitable facilities shall include a suitable courtroom to accommodate a twelve (12) person jury, offices and other necessary auxiliary facilities.

Section 3.

(a)

There is appropriated from the general fund one million one hundred seventeen thousand six hundred dollars ($1,117,600.00) to the seventh judicial district court for the biennium beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2024. This appropriation shall only be expended for salaries, benefits, office equipment, supplies and fees necessary to implement the office of the seventh judicial district court judge in the seventh judicial district authorized in section 1 of this act. This appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2024.

(b)

There are authorized four (4) full
‑
time equivalent positions, one (1) of which shall be the judge authorized in section 1 of this act, for the seventh judicial district court for personnel necessary to staff and support the additional district judge for the seventh judicial district authorized by this act for the biennium beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2024.

(c)

Suitable facilities for the additional district judge for the seventh judicial district authorized in this section shall be provided in the seventh judicial district. Suitable facilities shall include a suitable courtroom to accommodate a twelve (12) person jury, offices and other necessary auxiliary facilities.

Section 4
.

(a)

The sixth judicial district shall be authorized an additional district judge position beyond those authorized under W.S. 5
‑
3
‑
102(a) upon completion of all of the following:

(i)

Certification by the chief justice of the Wyoming supreme court that adequate and suitable facilities in the sixth judicial district have been completed and are ready for occupancy for the additional district court judge. Adequate facilities shall include a suitable courtroom to accommodate a twelve (12) person jury, offices and other necessary auxiliary facilities. The courtroom, offices and other auxiliary facilities shall be in addition to those existing for district court purposes in the sixth judicial district as of July 1, 2022;

(ii)

Delivery of the certification to the joint appropriations committee and the joint judiciary interim committee. Upon receipt of the certification, either committee may sponsor any legislation necessary to implement the additional district court judge position, to make any necessary appropriations and to authorize any necessary additional support positions; and

(iii)

Enactment into law of legislation authorizing the filling of the additional district court judge position.

Section 5
.

This act is effective July 1, 2022
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1