Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Courts And Technology topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House approves electronic court notification bill after debate over costs and opt-in vs opt-out
Summary
House passed House File 2645 establishing an electronic court notification system; amendments proposing opt-in and delayed effective date were debated and failed on recorded votes. Sponsor said the system modernizes court notices; opponents warned of unverified phone data and cited a $1.5 million startup fiscal note.
Representative Johnson (Polk) introduced House File 2645, saying the bill directs the state court administrator to establish an opt-out electronic court notification system to send text-based reminders to defendants, victims, witnesses and attorneys. Johnson said the measure is a modernization: "This bill directs the state court administrator to establish an opt out electrical court notification system that sends text based reminders."
Representative Levin (Johnson) pressed for changes in two amendments, arguing the plan should be opt-in and that the judicial branch needs more time. Levin cited a fiscal estimate and implementation concerns: "it is going to cost the judicial branch between 1 and $1,500,000 to create this system," and noted ongoing annual maintenance estimates of about "$100,000 per year." Levin's amendment to push the effective date failed on a recorded roll-call; floor debate centered on trust in unverified phone data, spam concerns, and whether estimated startup costs were accurate. The bill passed the House on the recorded vote recorded in the transcript.
