HB 137 - AS INTRODUCED
2017 SESSION
17-0089
09/08
HOUSE BILL 137
AN ACT relative to qualifications of referees in the superior courts and circuit courts.
SPONSORS: Rep. Itse, Rock. 10; Rep. Hoell, Merr. 23; Rep. Spillane, Rock. 2; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock. 5; Sen. Daniels, Dist 11; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17
COMMITTEE: Judiciary
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This bill requires referees, marital referees, or marital masters serving in the superior courts and the circuit courts who are not former or retired judges to be commissioned as justices of the peace.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
17-0089
09/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen
AN ACT relative to qualifications of referees in the superior courts and circuit courts.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Findings. The legislature finds that every marital master discharged as a consequence of 2012, 66 (HB 151) who has not retired nor become a judge has been hired as a referee without statutory authorization and is performing the same function as a marital referee. Therefore, it is necessary to provide legislative and executive oversight of all individuals serving as jurists.
2 New Section; Superior Court Referees. Amend RSA 491 by inserting after section 23 the following new section:
491:23-a Referees. A referee serving in the superior court on or after January 1, 2018 who is not a former or retired judge shall be required to be commissioned as a justice of the peace.
3 Circuit Court Referees. Amend RSA 490-F:15 to read as follows:
490-F:15 Referees.
I. The circuit court, with the consent of the parties shall, and without the consent of the parties may, commit to one or more referees any cause at law or in equity, or the determination of any question of fact pending in the court wherein the parties are not, as matter of right, entitled to a trial by jury; and with the consent of the parties shall in the same manner commit any other cause or the determination of any other question of fact.
II. A referee, marital referee, or marital master serving in the circuit court on or after January 1, 2018 who is not a former or retired judge shall be required to be commissioned as a justice of the peace.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 30 days after its passage.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 18, 2017 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 7, 2017 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 14, 2017 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 21, 2017 | House | Exec Session |
| March 8, 2017 | House | Floor Vote |
March 8, 2017: Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/08/2017 HJ 9 P. 36
March 8, 2017: Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate for 03/08/2017 (Vote 13-2; CC) HC 14 P. 16
Feb. 21, 2017: ==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 02/21/2017 10:00 AM LOB 208
Feb. 14, 2017: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/14/2017 01:00 PM LOB 208
Feb. 7, 2017: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/07/2017 10:00 AM LOB 208
Jan. 18, 2017: Public Hearing: 01/18/2017 01:00 PM LOB 208
Jan. 4, 2017: Introduced 01/04/2017 and referred to Judiciary HJ 2 P. 18