H717 Summary

• Reorganizes superior court districts and adds judges to Districts 19D and 20A, with new elections in 2018 and 2020 respectively; establishes residency requirements for candidates in multi-county districts.

• Reorganizes district court districts and adds judges in District 20A, with residency requirements specifying which counties candidates must represent in Districts 16A, 20A, and 25.

• Reorganizes prosecutorial districts, moving counties between districts and adjusting assistant district attorney positions; terminates separate district attorney positions for District 19 (effective 2021) and District 36 (effective 2023).

• Requires judicial vacancy designations on election ballots instead of incumbent names, and mandates the Chief Justice strive to assign superior court judges to their home district at least six months per year.

• Appropriates funds from unreserved budget balance to cover costs of newly created judgeships.