Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to revise a provision regarding the salary of justices of the Supreme Court.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the number of district judges of the Fourth Judicial District.

ThisbillwouldaddonenewdistrictjudgepositionwithresidentchambersinAdaCounty,beginningOctober 1, 2019. The last new district judge position in Ada County was created in 2013, and the last one before that in 2007. The population of Ada County has increased by 16% since 2013, and it continues to grow. The judiciary has been able to keep pace with the corresponding growth in court calendars by the use of senior judges and by having active judges assigned to cases in districts other than their own when required. Drug andmentalhealthcourtsoperatinginthisdistricthaveprovidedacost-effectivemeansofavoidingexpensive incarceration costs while protecting the community. Their operation has been possible only because judges have been willing to devote time beyond normal working hours to preside over these courts. Dealing with Idaho's growing population and caseload and continuing to expand the capacity of drug and mental health courts requires these additional judicial resources.