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SF0054 • 2023

Judges-housing allowance.

AN ACT relating to courts; authorizing the award of housing assistance to judges and justices as specified; and providing for an effective date.

Housing
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Judiciary
Last action
2023-01-26
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill specifies that the effective date is July 1, 2023, but since the bill did not pass, this provision does not apply.

Housing Allowance for Judges

The bill allows judges and justices in Wyoming to receive housing assistance if they reside in a county with significantly higher average housing costs than the statewide population weighted average.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new law that lets judges get help paying for housing if the cost of living is very high where they live, as determined by the state's economic analysis division.
  • Requires the Supreme Court to make rules about how to give this housing help to judges and justices.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Judges and justices in Wyoming who might need extra money for housing because of high costs where they live.

Terms To Know

Housing assistance
Money or support given to help pay for a place to live.
Supreme Court
The highest court in Wyoming that makes rules and decisions about the law.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear how much housing assistance judges will receive.
  • This bill did not pass, so it does not affect anyone yet.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0054S2001

2nd reading • Senator Hicks

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes a phrase and adds new language to specify when judges can receive housing assistance based on the cost of living index.

  • Removed 'is significantly' from the bill text.
  • Deleted an entire line from the original bill.
  • Added new criteria for judges to qualify for housing assistance, stating that it must exceed 150% of Wyoming's comparative cost of living index for housing in their county.
  • The exact impact on how much housing assistance judges will receive is not fully explained by the amendment text alone.
SF0054SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Judiciary Committee

Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill so that judges can receive housing assistance for up to one year when they move to a new location.

  • Adds a limit of twelve months for how long judges can get housing help.
  • Changes 'resides in' to 'moves to', meaning the help is given when judges move, not just where they live.

Bill History

  1. 2023-01-26 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:S Bill Reconsideration Motion Failed by Roll Call 10-21-0-0-0

  2. 2023-01-26 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Failed 15-16-0-0-0

  3. 2023-01-25 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  4. 2023-01-24 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  5. 2023-01-19 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  6. 2023-01-19 Senate

    S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  7. 2023-01-18 Senate

    :Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations

  8. 2023-01-18 Senate

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

  9. 2023-01-10 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary

  10. 2022-12-28 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  11. 2022-12-12 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
23LSO-0194
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0194
Numbered
2.0

SENATE FILE NO. SF0054

Judges-housing allowance.

Sponsored by: Joint Judiciary Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to courts; authorizing the award of housing assistance to judges and justices as specified; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 5
‑
1
‑
112 is created to read:

5
‑
1
‑
112.

Housing assistance for judges.

Subject to constitutional and statutory provisions concerning when salaries can become effective, justices of the supreme court and judges of the district courts, chancery courts and circuit courts may receive housing assistance if the judge or justice resides in a county in Wyoming where the average cost of housing is significantly higher than the statewide population weighted average cost of housing. The supreme court shall promulgate rules for the award of housing assistance under this section.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

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SF0054