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• Introduced by Sen. Jim Hargrove, (D-Hoquiam) (D) on January 25, 2005, to increase state funding responsibility and provide trial courts with the additional resources necessary to provide justice equally to the citizens of Washington state. Jurors will receive up to forty-five dollars but in no case less than thirty dollars for each day or partial day after the first day of attendance. The state will reimburse the city or county for fifty percent of juror costs. The bill also clarifies the payment of judges and the cost of filing a claim.
  • Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 25, 2005.
  • Substitute offered to the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 2, 2005, to reduce various fee increases. Filing fees for counterclaims, cross-claims, and third party claims in district and superior courts will be subject to distribution for law library funding. The portion of district court filing fees allocated to law library funding is increased from $6 to $7..
  • Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on March 2, 2005.
  • Substitute offered to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on March 7, 2005, to modify intent language and remove all provisions related to juror fee increases and state payment of juror fees. The filing fee increases are reduced. The revenue from some of the increased fees relieves the state of liability for prior payments of superior court judges benefits .
  • The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 14, 2005.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on March 7, 2005.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Adam Kline, (D-Seattle) (D) on March 11, 2005, to allow county legislative authorities to impose a fee of up to $20 for processing ex parte orders in courts with a full-time judge who issues ex parte orders. (S2621.1) .
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Michael Carrell, (R-Lakewood) (R) on March 14, 2005, to add compensation for jury service. Removes payment of District and Municipal court judge salary. (S2103.2).
  • The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on March 14, 2005.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Michael Carrell, (R-Lakewood) (R) on March 14, 2005, to reduce the increase in the underlying bill for unlawful detainer actions involving default orders and default judgments from $60 (100% increase) to $38 (approximately 25% increase). Increases the current filing fee of $30. (S2680.1) .
  • The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on March 14, 2005.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Marilyn Rasmussen, (D-Eatonville) (D) on March 14, 2005, to reduce the increase in the underlying bill for unlawful detainer actions involving default orders and default judgments from $60 (100% increase) to $45 (50% increase). Increases the current filing fee of $30. (S2321.3) .
  • The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 14, 2005.
• Passed in the Senate (45 to 3) on March 14, 2005, to revise trial court funding provisions. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on March 16, 2005.
  • Referred to the House Judiciary Committee on March 16, 2005.
  • Amendment offered to the House on March 31, 2005, by the House Judiciary Committee, to (a) remove provisions requiring the state to pay for one-half of district court and elected municipal court salaries and to pay 2.5 percent contribution in the supplemental retirement account for those judges; (b) remove provisions establishing trial court improvement accounts in cities and counties; (c) require the revenue to the state from the increased fees to be deposited in a sub-account of the PSEA to be appropriated only for trial-level criminal indigent defense, parent representation in dependency and termination cases, civil legal services, and to fund the trial court improvement account; and (d) establish a trial court improvement account to be administered by AOC.
  • The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on April 13, 2005.
  • Referred to the House Appropriations Committee on April 1, 2005.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on April 4, 2005.
• Passed in the House (87 to 9) on April 13, 2005, to revise trial court funding provisions. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on April 19, 2005, but the Senate refused to concur in House amendments and asks the House to recede from amendments.
• Received in the House on April 24, 2005.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Patricia Lantz, (D-Gig Harbor) (D) on April 21, 2005, to remove provisions requiring the state to pay for one-half of district court and elected municipal court salaries and to pay 2.5 percent contribution in the supplemental retirement account for those judges. It removes provisions establishing trial court improvement accounts in cities and counties, and establishes a trial court improvement account to be administered by AOC with distribution to counties on a per capita basis. It requires the revenue to the state from the increased fees to be deposited in the newly-created equal justice subaccount of the PSEA to be appropriated only for trial-level criminal indigent defense, parent representation in dependency and termination cases, civil legal services, and to fund the trial court improvement account. It makes the following appropriations: (a) $1.26 million dollars to the office of public defense for criminal indigent defense in the trial courts; (b) $6 million dollars to OPD for representation of parents in dependency and termination cases; (c) $3 million to the office of civil legal aid for civil legal representation of indigent persons; and (d) $2.4 million to the trial court improvement account. [This striking amendment is substantially the same as the striker previously adopted by the House. The only differences are: (a) the appropriations; (b) the distribution of funds from the trial court improvement account on a per capita basis rather than a need basis; and (c) the name of the subaccount in PSEA.] The amendment was withdrawn on 4/24/05.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Patricia Lantz, (D-Gig Harbor) (D) on April 23, 2005, to remove provisions requiring the state to pay for one-half of district court and elected municipal court salaries and to pay 2.5 percent contribution in the supplemental retirement account for those judges. It requires the revenue to the state from the increased fees to be deposited in the newly-created equal justice subaccount of the PESEA to be appropriated only for: (a) trial-level criminal indigent defense, including a pilot program; (b) parent representation in dependency and termination cases; (c) civil legal services; and (d) district court judges' and elected municipal court judges' salary contributions. In the fiscal 2005-07 fiscal biennium, 25% of the revenue collected from the increased filing fees, less $1 million dollars, must be used for judges' salaries. In the fiscal 2007-09 biennium and thereafter, 50% of the revenue collected must be used for judges' salaries. For FY 05-07, the following appropriations are made: (a) $2.3 million dollars to the office of public defense for criminal indigent defense in the trial courts (with $1 million of that money being used for a pilot program); (b) $5 million dollars to OPD for representation of parents in dependency and termination cases; (c) $3 million to the office of civil legal aid for civil legal representation of indigent persons; and (d) $2.4 million for judges' salaries. Cities and counties receiving state contribution for judges' salaries must establish local trial court improvement accounts and deposit into their accounts an amount equal to 100% of the state's contribution to the city's or county's judges' salaries.
  • The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on April 24, 2005.
• Passed in the House (84 to 11) on April 24, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on April 24, 2005.
• Passed in the Senate (40 to 7) on April 24, 2005, to concur in House amendments. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire on May 13, 2005, to revise trial court funding provisions.