The Senate Judiciary Committee heard HB 1053, sponsored by Sen. Crider, Sen. Smith, and Sen. Taylor, on county magistrates. The bill allows the Clark County circuit court to appoint four full-time magistrates, allows the Shelby County circuit and superior courts to appoint a full-time magistrate, and allows the Marion County superior courts to appoint 18 full-time magistrates after December 31, 2017, not more than nine of whom may be from the same political party.
The bill was amended by consent to permit the Marion superior court to appoint four additional magistrates. Marion County Superior Court Judge Heather Welch, Shelby Circuit Court Judge Charles O’Connor, and Clark Circuit Court Judge Joseph Weber testified in support of the bill. The bill passed as amended, 10-0 and was recommitted to Senate Appropriations.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2017/bills/house/1053