INDIANAPOLIS — Kosciusko County will not have a fourth Superior Court Judge until July 2019, assuming Senate Enrolled Act 126 is signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb. The county may also be the last county to get an additional judge as all future requests will be for magistrates.

The bill establishing Superior Court 4 in Kosciusko County and three magistrate judges one each in Jefferson, Putnam and Scott counties was unanimously passed by the various committees throughout January and February. With amendments to the original bill approved, the original bill was signed by Senate President Pro Tempore David Long and Speaker of the House Brian Bosma on Tuesday, March 13. Since then it has been among the bills awaiting the governor’s signature.

As of today, Monday, March 19, that bill was among 80 bills yet to be signed by Holcomb.

The bill was authored by Sen. Randy Head and Sen. Ryan Mishler, and then co-authored by Sen. Susan Glick, Sen. Andy Zay and Sen. Blake Doriot. The bill went to the Committee on Judiciary, where it was recommended for adoption. It then went to the committee on appropriations, again recommended for adoption.

From there the bill was referred to the house. Rep. David Wolkins became the sponsor with Rep. Sheila Klinker, Rep. Anthony Cook and Rep. Curt Nisly being added as cosponsors.

But the bill almost died after it reached the House.

Mishler stated the problem was the bill, requesting funding for a judge, came in a non-budget year. There were no funds set aside to fund a judge. He was willing to push the date back a year. However, Mishler was aware of a special fund to appropriate funds for items in off budget session years. He was recommending that special fund pay for the judge, starting in 2018, and then budgeting the expense in the next budget session.

However, Mishler had gotten word the House was going to let the bill die, along with a bill they had for counties requesting magistrates.

“I didn’t want them to go through the whole process again,” Mishler stated.

Senators and representatives put their heads together and combined the request for a fourth superior court judge in Kosciusko County and the three magistrates, but delay the effective date until July 1, 2019. They also advised the Committee on Judiciary that there would be no approval for new judges on off budget sessions.

There was concern, as well, over the cost of a judge vs. magistrate. “This will be one of the last years for judges,” said Mishler. The rest of the requests will be for magistrates.”

According to the fiscal impact potion of the bill the salaries and benefits for judges estimated for fiscal year 2010 is $204,762 per judicial officer. The total cost per magistrates is $166,604. Locally the expenses would be for additional court staff and office furniture.