House Sponsors: MADIGAN,MJ-DURKIN. Senate Sponsors: KLEMM Short description: COOK COUNTY-TRIAL JUDGES Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Amends the Circuit Courts Act, the Judicial Vacancies Act, and the Associate Judges Act. Increases the number of resident judges in Cook County from 165 to 255, the new judges to replace vacating judges as vacancies occur in Cook County circuit judgeships and associate judgeships. Reduces the number of circuit judges in Cook County by 45 as vacancies occur on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Reduces the number of associate judges in Cook County by 45 as vacancies occur on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Provides that resident judgeship vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the Supreme Court. FISCAL NOTE (Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts) Replacing circuit judge positions with an equal number of re- sident circuit judge positions will have no fiscal impact. However, based on salaries effective July 1, 2001, the addi- tional annual cost for each resident circuit judge position that replaces an associate judge position is $9,299, plus any associated increases in benefit expenses, and the increase in salary expenses for all 45 positions would be $418,455. JUDICIAL NOTE (Adminstrative Office of the Illinois Courts) The bill provides that the new resident circuit judge positions will be filled as vacancies occur in the circuit judge and associate judge positions that would be eliminated. HB 829 would neither increase nor decrease the total number of judges in the State. HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Deletes reference to: 705 ILCS 35/2f Deletes everything. Amends the Circuit Courts Act, the Judicial Vacancies Act, and the Associate Judges Act. Makes technical changes in Sections concerning the election of circuit judges, vacancies in the office of judge, and the number of associate judges. Last action on Bill: SESSION SINE DIE Last action date: JAN-07-2003 Location: House Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 1 SENATE - 0 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status