Alabama HB 34: Judicial compensation; uniform pay plan for justices & judges revised

Bill Text

HB34 INTRODUCED
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HB34
88Y72H-1
By Representative Hill
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 06-Feb-24
PFD: 12-Jan-24
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88Y72H-1 12/11/2023 CNB (L)bm 2023-2818
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PFD: 12-Jan-24
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, a district judge who is
appointed or elected as a circuit judge receives as an
initial salary the base salary for a circuit judge plus
the appropriate amount for bench experience as a
district judge.
Under existing law, a supreme court justice or
judge of an appellate court who is appointed or elected
to the supreme court or an appellate court receives as
an initial salary the base salary for a supreme court
justice or appellate court judge plus the appropriate
amount for bench experience as a judge or justice.
This bill provides that a supreme court justice,
appellate court judge, circuit judge, or district
judge's salary shall be based on the number of years he
or she has served as a judge or justice of a state
court.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to judicial compensation; to amend Section
12-10B-1, Code of Alabama 1975, to provide that a justice or
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12-10B-1, Code of Alabama 1975, to provide that a justice or
judge's salary shall be based on the number of years he or she
has served as a judge or justice of a state court.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 12-10B-1, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§12-10B-1
(a) Pursuant to Amendment 426 of the Constitution of
Alabama 1901, now appearing as Section 148 of the Official
Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as
amended2022, and notwithstanding any other provision of law,
beginning on October 1, 2021, judges and justices shall be
compensated as follows:
(1) The chief justice of the supreme court's initial
salary shall be one hundred seventy-six thousand dollars
($176,000).
(2) An associate supreme court justice's initial salary
shall be one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($175,000).
(3) An appellate court judge's initial salary shall be
one hundred seventy-four thousand dollars ($174,000). The
presiding judge of any appellate court shall receive
additional compensation of five hundred dollars ($500) per
year.
(4) A circuit judge's initial salary shall be one
hundred forty thousand dollars ($140,000).
(5) A district judge's initial salary shall be one
hundred thirty-nine thousand dollars ($139,000).
(b)(1)a. The salary of the chief justice of the supreme
court, supreme court associate justices, judges of the
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court, supreme court associate justices, judges of the
appellate courts, circuit judges, and district judges shall be
increased by 7.5 percent on October 1 after the completion of
six full years of service as a circuit or, district, or
appellate judge or justice. The salary shall be increased by
an additional 7.5 percent on October 1 after the completion of
12 full years of service as a circuit or, district or
appellate judge or justice. The salary shall be increased by
an additional 7.5 percent on October 1 after the completion of
18 full years of service as a circuit or, district, or
appellate judge or justice.
b. A district judge who is subsequently appointed or
elected as a circuit judge shall receive as an initial salary
the base salary of a circuit judge plus the appropriate amount
for bench experience as a circuit or district judge as
provided in paragraph a.
c. A circuit or district judge who is subsequently
appointed or elected as the chief justice of the supreme
court, a supreme court justice, or a judge of the appellate
court, shall receive the initial salary of the chief justice
of the supreme court, a supreme court justice, or an appellate
court judge as provided in subdivision (1), (2), or (3) of
subsection (a).
(2)a. The salary of the chief justice of the supreme
court, supreme court justices, and judges of the appellate
courts shall be increased by 7.5 percent on October 1 after
the completion of six full years of service as the chief
justice of the supreme court, a supreme court justice, or a
judge of the appellate court. The salary shall be increased by
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judge of the appellate court. The salary shall be increased by
an additional 7.5 percent on October 1 after the completion of
12 full years of service as the chief justice of the supreme
court, a supreme court justice, or a judge of the appellate
court. The salary shall be increased by an additional 7.5
percent on October 1 after the completion of 18 full years of
service as the chief justice of the supreme court, a supreme
court justice, or a judge of the appellate court.
b. A chief justice of the supreme court, a supreme
court justice, or a judge of the appellate court who is
subsequentl