HB132: HB132 Council of Municipal Court Judges; office of senior municipal court judge; provide

25 LC 47 3211 House Bill 132 By: Representatives Reeves of the 99th, Oliver of the 84th, Gullett of the 19th, Leverett of the 123rd, Smith of the 18th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 3 of Chapter 32 of Title 36 of the Official Co de of Georgia Annotated,1 relating to the Council of Municipal Court Judges, so as to provide for the office of senior2 municipal court judge; to provide for qualifications, application and approval procedures, and3 amenities and privileges of such judges; to preserve local actions establishing senior judges4 for particular municipal courts; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and5 for other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 Article 3 of Chapter 32 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the9 Council of Municipal Court Judges, is amended in Code Section 3 6-32-40, relating to10 creation of council, membership and organization, purpose, expenses, contracts, assistance11 to council, members not ineligible to hold office of judge and notifications, by revising12 subsection (a) as follows:13 "(a) There is created a council of municipal court judges to be known as the 'Council of14 Municipal Court Judges of Georgia.' The council shall be composed of the judges of the15 municipal courts of this state together with the senior municipal court judges of this state16 H. B. 132 - 1 - 25 LC 47 3211 as provided for in Code Section 36-32-42. The council is authorized to organize itself and17 to develop a constitution and bylaws. The officers of said cou ncil shall consist of a18 president, a first vice president, a second vice president, a secretary, a treasurer, and such19 other officers as the council shall deem necessary. The counci l shall have an executive20 committee composed of two representatives from each judicial administrative district."21 SECTION 2.22 Said article is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:23 "36-32-42.24 (a) There is created the office of senior municipal court judg e of this state. Any former25 judge of a municipal court of this state or any former judge of a court of this state26 exercising municipal court jurisdiction may apply to become a senior municipal court judge27 if such former judge is no longer serving as a municipal court judge and had previously28 served in such capacity for an aggregate period of not less than ten years. The president29 of the Council of Municipal Court Judges, shall prescribe the form for such applications,30 review applications, and notify applicants as to whether or not he or she will be appointed31 as a senior municipal court judge. The approval or denial of an application shall be made32 within 30 days of the submission of such application.33 (b)(1) A senior municipal court judge appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code34 section shall:35 (A) Comply with the mandatory training required by subsection (c) of Code Section36 36-32-27 in order to maintain the status as a certified municip al court judge or a37 certified judge of a court exercising municipal court jurisdiction;38 (B) Be licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia; and39 (C) Be an active member in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia.40 H. B. 132 - 2 - 25 LC 47 3211 (2) Any former municipal court judge who is not licensed to pr actice law in this state41 may apply for senior municipal court judge status if such former judge otherwise meets42 the qualifications required by Code Section 36-32-1.1.43 (c) A senior municipal court judge shall not be required to pay any support or registration44 fees related to the mandatory training required by subparagraph (b)(1)(A) of this Code45 section, but such judge shall be responsible for all other costs attendant to said mandatory46 training.47 (d) Senior municipal court judges shall enjoy all of the amenities and privileges of judges48 of other classes of courts of this state that are otherwise accorded to municipal court judges. 49 Senior municipal court judges shall not be required to sit as a judge in any court or be50 required to comply with the requirements of subsection (b) of t his Code section in order51 to enjoy the amenities and privileges accorded pursuant to this Code section.52 (d) This Code section shall not supersede any local law, Act, ordinance, resolution, or53 other official action by a municipality establishing the office of senior judge of a particular54 municipal court."55 SECTION 3.56 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.57 H. B. 132 - 3 -