07 LC 28
3284
House
Bill 116
By:
Representatives Scott of the
153rd
and Roberts of the
154th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 15-1-9.2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to senior judge status, so as to provide that judges of the superior court who
leave office but do not qualify for appointment as a senior judge under any
other provision of law may apply to the Governor for appointment as a senior
judge under certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to provide an
effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 15-1-9.2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to senior
judge status, is amended by revising subsections (a) and (a.2) as
follows:
"(a)
The office of senior judge of the superior courts is created, and judges of the
superior courts or former judges of the superior courts may become senior judges
as follows:
(1)
Any judge of the superior courts who retires pursuant to the provisions of
Chapter 8 or Chapter 23 of Title 47 and any such judge who receives a disability
retirement benefit under such chapter may become a senior judge beginning on the
effective date of the judge´s retirement;
and
(2)
Any judge of the superior courts, whether or not
said
such
judge is a member of the retirement system created by Chapter 23 of Title 47,
who ceases holding office as a judge of the superior courts and who has at least
ten years of service as a judge of the superior courts at the time of ceasing to
hold office and who is not eligible for appointment to the office of senior
judge under any other law of this state may become a senior
judge;
and
(3)
Any judge of the superior courts, whether or not such judge is a member of the
retirement system created by Chapter 23 of Title 47, who ceases holding office
as a judge of the superior courts and who is not eligible for appointment to the
office of senior judge under any other law of this state may become a senior
judge by applying to the Governor and the Governor, in his or her discretion,
determining that such judge is qualified to be a senior judge and that it would
be in the best interests of the state for such person to serve as a senior
judge."
"(a.2)
Senior judge status as provided in this Code section shall be acquired by a
qualified former judge´s applying to the Governor for appointment as senior
judge. The Governor shall appoint each qualified applicant
under
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) and under subsection (a.1) of this Code
section as a senior judge.
The Governor
shall be authorized to appoint such applicants under paragraph (3) of subsection
(a) of this Code section as the Governor finds to be qualified and in the best
interests of the state to serve as senior
judges."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.