Bills not passed but likely to be proposed again:
Aseries of bills were introduced to change the selection process for Circuit Court judges by eliminating contested elections. None received favorable reports from the House JUD committee.
The Senate president indicated that these bills should be considered in the next session, since they involved Constitutional amendmentsthat would not come up for voter approval until 2016.
These bills included:
HB 582/SB 367Circuit Court Judges – Selection, Qualifications and Term of Office (RSC 2) Gubernatorial appointment of Circuit Court Judges.
HB 548 Circuit Court Judges – Selection, Qualifications and Term of Office (RSC 3) Retention elections for Circuit Court Judges after appointment by governor.
SB 679 Election of Circuit Court Judges – Non-Partisan General Election (RSC 3)
HB 1071 Circuit Court Judges – Election, Qualifications and Term of Office (RSC 4) Appointment followed by retention elections.
Another series of bills were proposed to implement the Court of Appeals ruling requirement that indigent defendants must be provided with counsel at an initial appearance. None of these bills were passed, despite a last minute order by the Senate President to find a way to reform the system. These include:
HB 361 Criminal Procedure – Government-Funded Legal Representation – Initial Appearance (RSC 2) The courts and statutes would determine the right of defendants to counsel, not the Constitution.
HB 496 Criminal Procedure – Government-Funded Legal Representation – (RSC 3) Overturns the Appeals Court decision by removing the right to counsel from the Constitution’s Declaration of Rights.
HB 596 Criminal Procedure – Maryland Appointed Attorney’s Program Corporation (RSC 3)
Marlene Cohn
Bills not passed but likely to be proposed again:
Aseries of bills were introduced to change the selection process for Circuit Court judges by eliminating contested elections. None received favorable reports from the House JUD committee.
The Senate president indicated that these bills should be considered in the next session, since they involved Constitutional amendmentsthat would not come up for voter approval until 2016.
These bills included:
HB 582/SB 367Circuit Court Judges – Selection, Qualifications and Term of Office (RSC 2) Gubernatorial appointment of Circuit Court Judges.
HB 548 Circuit Court Judges – Selection, Qualifications and Term of Office (RSC 3) Retention elections for Circuit Court Judges after appointment by governor.
SB 679 Election of Circuit Court Judges – Non-Partisan General Election (RSC 3)
HB 1071 Circuit Court Judges – Election, Qualifications and Term of Office (RSC 4) Appointment followed by retention elections.
Another series of bills were proposed to implement the Court of Appeals ruling requirement that indigent defendants must be provided with counsel at an initial appearance. None of these bills were passed, despite a last minute order by the Senate President to find a way to reform the system. These include:
HB 361 Criminal Procedure – Government-Funded Legal Representation – Initial Appearance (RSC 2) The courts and statutes would determine the right of defendants to counsel, not the Constitution.
HB 496 Criminal Procedure – Government-Funded Legal Representation – (RSC 3) Overturns the Appeals Court decision by removing the right to counsel from the Constitution’s Declaration of Rights.
HB 596 Criminal Procedure – Maryland Appointed Attorney’s Program Corporation (RSC 3)
Marlene Cohn