Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Eviction Process topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Delegation backs bill letting sheriffs hire post-certified officers to address eviction backlog
Summary
Members advanced House Bill 234, a recurring, permissive measure described as allowing sheriffs to use post-certified police officers to serve court-issued eviction writs when deputies are unavailable; the committee reported the bill favorably by voice vote (tally not specified).
A Jefferson County legislative-delegation committee moved forward with House Bill 234, a measure sponsors described as a permissive tool to help the sheriff address a backlog of eviction writs by allowing the use of post-certified police officers to serve court orders when deputies are not available.
Supporters told the delegation the bill has been brought in prior years without substantive change this session and is intended to ease service delays caused by staffing shortages. A sponsor summarized the intent as providing authority for the sheriff "to use it when he gets in a critical situation with the backlog of evictions" and to train post-certified officers to carry out writ service where appropriate.
Committee members asked for clarifications about scope and training; proponents said the change does not alter deputy authority to serve writs but permits an alternate staffing approach when court-issued writs accumulate. The committee moved for a favorable report, and the transcript records the body approving the bill by voice vote. The recording does not include a roll-call tally, so the precise vote count was not specified.
The bill now proceeds according to the delegation's legislative process; committee members said they would continue to monitor implementation needs and any required training or certification requirements before broader adoption.
