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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 9, 2024 01:40 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Daniel Laughlin and Sen. Lisa M. Boscola |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Annual Funding for Special Court Judges |
| In the near future, we will be introducing legislation aimed at amending Title 42, § 3532 to increase the annual funding for Special Court Judges through the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC). As you may know, the Special Court Judges Association of Pennsylvania (SCJAP), recognized by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania under Title 42 § 1728, represents Magisterial District Judges and Philadelphia Municipal Court Judges. Currently, the statutory annual registration fee stands at $200 per judge, a level set in 1998 and unchanged for 26 years. Meanwhile, inflation has risen by a cumulative rate of 76.98%, and external expenses for judges continue to increase. To address these challenges and combat the dwindling number of judges, our proposed legislation would raise the AOPC fee per judge from $200 to $600. This proposed legislation aims to link adjustments to the Consumer Price Index or other similar measures ensuring automatic raises in tandem with inflation. The increase in the administrative fee is crucial to cover various expenses essential for a judge's duties, including travel, participation in conferences, ethics trainings, educational symposiums, technology workshops, safety trainings, and more. In today's world, $200 is simply inadequate to meet these needs effectively. By providing our Magisterial District and Municipal Court Judges with more resources, we empower them to function at their highest capacity and adapt to the ever-changing judicial landscape. Investing in our judges now will not only save the Commonwealth money in the long run but is also the morally right thing to do. Our Special Court Judges serve on the front lines of our judicial system, and it's imperative that we adequately support them. A Magisterial District Judge is often the first judge an offender encounters in the Commonwealth, and we must ensure they have the necessary resources to fulfill their duties safely and effectively. Please join us in supporting this legislation to bring a long-overdue change to our judicial system and provide our judges with the support they deserve. |
Introduced as SB1189
Memo Updated: April 9, 2024 02:02 PM