Bill > HSB340

Introduced Session

This bill relates to and makes appropriations to the judicial branch. FY 2025-2026 APPROPRIATIONS. The bill appropriates moneys from the general fund of the state for FY 2025-2026 to the judicial branch for salaries, receipt and disbursement of child support payments, reimbursement of the auditor of state, maintenance, equipment, miscellaneous purposes, deposit in the revolving fund created pursuant to Code section 602.1302(3) for certain purposes, payment of court-ordered juvenile services, and juvenile delinquent graduated sanctions services. The bill provides that a civil trial including a jury trial may take place in a county contiguous to the county with proper H.F. _____ jurisdiction, even if the contiguous county is located in an adjacent judicial district or judicial election district, if all the parties in a case agree. If a trial is moved to another county that is located in another judicial district or judicial election district, the judicial officers serving the judicial district or judicial election district receiving the case shall preside over the case. The bill permits a judicial officer to waive travel reimbursement for any travel outside the judicial officer’s county of residence to conduct official business. The bill allows a judicial officer to be placed on unpaid leave on any day a court employee is required to furlough. The bill provides that if a judicial officer is placed on unpaid leave, the salary of the judicial officer shall be reduced accordingly for the pay period in which the unpaid leave occurred. The bill provides that the judicial branch may use an amount equal to the aggregate amount of the salary reductions due to judicial officer unpaid leave for any purpose other than judicial salaries. The bill states legislative intent that the judicial branch utilize the Iowa communications network or other secure electronic communications in lieu of traveling. JUROR COMPENSATION. The bill provides that a grand juror and a petit juror in all courts shall receive $45 as compensation for each day’s service or attendance. Under current law, a juror is entitled to $30 for each day’s service or attendance. The bill also requires the supreme court to adopt rules that allow juror compensation for service or attendance over seven days to be increased to $65 per day after the seventh day of service or attendance. JUDICIAL OFFICER SALARIES. Under current law, the general assembly determines the salaries of judicial officers by enacting the salaries in annual appropriations bills. The bill instead creates a formula to calculate judicial officer salaries. The bill requires the judicial officer H.F. _____ salaries to be paid from the moneys appropriated to the judicial branch in a given fiscal year. The bill provides various amounts over eight fiscal years for a state district judge’s salary based on certain percentages of the salary of a federal district judge, and sets the salary of other judicial officers based on a percentage of the salary of a state district judge as follows: the chief justice of the supreme court, 124 percent; other justices of the supreme court, 119 percent; the chief judge of the court of appeals, 111 percent; a judge of the court of appeals except the chief judge, 107 percent; a chief judge of a judicial district, 104 percent; a district associate judge, associate juvenile judge, or associate probate judge, 89 percent; a magistrate, 27 percent, subject to Code section 602.6402 (additional magistrate allowed); and a senior judge, 6 percent. The bill allows the supreme court to provide lower salaries for judicial officers if the supreme court decides that the moneys appropriated in a given fiscal year are not sufficient to provide the full allowable salaries for judicial officers, or if other good cause exists. The bill makes conforming changes to Code sections 602.9104 and 602.9204. By operation of law, these provisions affect the salaries of county attorneys of counties with a population of 200,000 or less (Code section 331.752(5)). These provisions take effect June 20, 2025.

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Other Sponsors (1)

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 1048. (on 05/12/2025)

Official Document