MS HB1234

State Personnel Board shall fix the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court's salary equal to the southeastern average for state supreme court chief justices, subject to legislative appropriation.

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court gains authority to fix salaries for all other judges (Presiding Justice, Associate Justices, Court of Appeals judges, and all chancery and circuit court judges) subject to a lump sum legislative appropriation.

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may increase certain court fees authorized by law to generate additional funds for judge salaries under Section 25-3-35.

Specific fee increases authorized for circuit court clerk fees (Section 25-7-13), chancery court clerk fees (Section 25-7-9), Supreme Court clerk fees (Section 25-7-3), and criminal and traffic violation assessments (Section 99-19-73).

Act requires submission to U.S. Attorney General or District Court for District of Columbia under Voting Rights Act procedures, with effectiveness date contingent on that approval.