The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 380 on court matters, authored and presented by Sen. Koch. The bill provides for a new Hamilton Superior Court. The bill also allows for appointment of a magistrate in Decatur County, Hancock County, Huntington County, Knox County, and Lake Superior Court. It also allows clerks to retain a $3 administrative fee from excess amounts collected by for general court costs and repeals current code provisions for garnishments of personal earnings or property and replaces them with new provisions.
The bill was amended by consent to remove the proposal related to garnishments. Decatur Circuit Court Judge Timothy Day testified in support of the Decatur County magistrate request. Franklin City Court Judge Mark Lloyd and a representative from Accelerate Indiana Municipalities testified in support of the change on the administrative fee. The bill passed as amended 10-0.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2021/bills/senate/380