The Kansas Supreme Court today spoke out against a judicial bill that was signed into law Thursday by Gov. Sam Brownback.
In a news release, the Supreme Court stated that it had strongly opposed the bill since it was proposed and it is now “troubled” with its signing into law.
The bill, Senate Substitute for HB 2338, “weakens the centralized authority of the Kansas unified court system in exchange for money to pay our employees and keep courts open. And the money it provides still may fall short of even doing that,” the court stated.
“This is a poor trade. We have very serious concerns about what will happen to the administration of justice in Kansas,” the court stated. “We believe Kansans deserve better.”
Also issuing a statement today was Kansans for Fair Courts, www.KansansForFairCourts.org.
“We are disheartened that the governor has allowed political retribution to stand as a substitute for reasoned policymaking and respect for the rule of law,” the organization stated. “The Legislature passed this bill to punish the Supreme Court for upholding the Kansas Constitution and ensuring that Kansas children have equitable access to a world-class education. Despite hearing from hundreds of Kansans urging him to veto this extreme measure, the governor has once again chosen politics over protecting the best interests of our state.”
Among the changes in the new law, it removes from the Supreme Court the authority to appoint the chief judge in each judicial district. Instead it says the district court judges will elect a chief judge from each district. It also allows a longer time, up to 120 days, in filling district court judge vacancies.
The bill gives an additional $2 million to the judicial branch in fiscal year 2015 and increases some docket fees.
To read the bill summary, visit www.kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/hb2338/.