REPORT OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE # 2

MADAM PRESIDENT AND MR. SPEAKER:

We, the undersigned conferees, have had under consideration the amendments to the following entitled BILL:

S. B. No. 2567: Justice court judges; nonpartisan elections.

We, therefore, respectfully submit the following report and recommendation:

1. That the House recede from its Amendment No. 1.

2. That the Senate and House adopt the following amendment:

Amend by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

SECTION 1. (1) There is created a task force to study and assess the duties and services provided by the justice court judges, the training and compensation of justice court judges, the jurisdictional limits of justice courts, uniform rules of procedure for justice court, whether jury trials should occur in justice courts, when justice court judges are elected, the manner in which justice court judges are elected and the feasibility of nonpartisan elections for justice court judges.

(2) The task force shall be composed of the following members:

(a) One (1) appellate judge appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who shall chair the committee.

(b) Three (3) justice court judges appointed by the Conference of Justice Court Judges.

(d) One (1) circuit judge appointed by the Conference of Circuit Judges.

(e) One (1) county court judge appointed by the Conference of County Court Judges.

(f) One (1) supervisor appointed by the Mississippi Association of Supervisors.

(g) The Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Division A, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Judiciary A Committee, the Chairman of the Senate Elections Committee and the Chairman of the House Apportionment and Elections Committee, or their designees, shall serve as legislative liaisons and nonvoting members.

(3) The member of the task force who is appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall serve as chairman of the task force. The task force shall meet at the call of the chairman and at its first meeting shall select a vice chairman from among its membership. The vice chairman shall also serve as secretary of the task force and shall be responsible for keeping all records of the task force. A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute a quorum.

(4) The task force shall file a report with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate containing its findings and recommendation regarding the justice court system by not later than December 1, 2007.

(5) Legislative members of the committee shall receive per diem, travel or other expenses, if authorized by the Management Committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate, from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same amounts as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session; provided that no per diem or expense for attending meetings of the committee shall be paid while the Legislature is in session.

(6) Nonlegislative members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their service on the task force but may be reimbursed for expenses related to their service on the task force as authorized by law.

(7) The task force shall be dissolved on December 1, 2007.

SECTION 2. A constable that serves as a bailiff in justice court for criminal cases may be paid by the county in an amount equal to the allowance paid to riding bailiffs as provided in Section 19-25-31. This section shall stand repealed on January 1, 2009.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

CONFEREES FOR THE SENATE CONFEREES FOR THE HOUSE


X (SIGNED)	X (SIGNED)
Terry C. Burton	Thomas U. Reynolds

X (SIGNED)	X (SIGNED)
Dean Kirby	Dirk D. Dedeaux

X (SIGNED)	X (SIGNED)
Charlie Ross	Edward Blackmon, Jr.