Senate Judiciary Committee amends and advances bill to adjust district court salaries

The Senate Judiciary Committee on [date not specified] adopted amendments and voted to advance House Bill 16-62, which updates salary provisions for personnel in various district courts.

Representative Dolby, the bill sponsor, told the committee the measure addresses personnel salaries across district courts and that several local amendments had been filed to reflect county-specific needs. Senators Teague and Johnson had filed amendments affecting their districts, and Christian Clark of the Arkansas Office of the Courts was present to advise the committee.

The committee first moved to expunge a prior third-amendment vote before taking up two local amendments. Senator Tate offered a short amendment raising the minimum salary for a circuit clerk in Hempstead County; committee members said local officials were in agreement and the amendment was adopted by voice vote. A second amendment, on behalf of Senator Johnson, adjusted salaries in the Greene County District Court; that amendment was likewise adopted by voice vote. After those changes were adopted, Representative Dolby asked the committee for a favorable report on the bill as amended and the committee approved a motion to report the bill "do pass, as amended."

Committee practice and motions were handled by voice vote; senators moved and seconded the amendments on the committee floor. There was no on-the-record roll-call vote reported in the transcript for the final action.

The bill will move forward as amended for further consideration according to legislative procedure.