The House Judiciary Committee heard SB 238 sponsored by Rep. Steuerwald on the Office of Judicial Administration. The bill changes all references to the Supreme Court Administration, Division of State Court Administration and the Indiana Judicial Center to the Office of Judicial Administration. The bill also changes all references to the executive director of the Division of State Court Administration and the Indiana Judicial Center to chief administrative officer of the Office of Judicial Administration and makes various other changes:
- authorizes courts to hold evening court sessions instead of requiring evening court sessions,
- expands the judicial authority of magistrates in small claims and protective orders,
- authorizes specialized driving privileges petitions to be filed in the court that issued the suspension, including city and town courts,
- authorizes the extension of the temporary guardianship period, and
- increases the judicial conference membership by adding Marion County Small Claims Court judges,
- repeals the law requiring the Indiana Judicial Center to maintain a roster of in-state facilities to provide child services in a residential setting, makes conforming changes.
Three amendments were discussed and adopted by consent:
- Amendment #3 increases the senior judge per diem during the first 30 days of service in a calendar year;
- Amendment #4 replaces the State Court Administration’s authority to administer the public defense fund with the Indiana Public Defender Commission, and
- Amendment #5 clarifies that the clerk of the county that maintains jurisdiction over the case may collect the service of process fee.
Judge Mary Willis, Chief Administrative Officer, Office of Judicial Administration testified in support of the bill. Derrick Mason, Staff Attorney, Indiana Public Defender Commission testified in support of Amendment #4. The amended bill passed 13-0.
The bill was reassigned to House Ways and Means and passed 20-0.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2018/bills/senate/238