4/12/01...0729s

2001 SESSION

01-0684

09/01

SENATE BILL 35

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a 5-year rotating term based on seniority for the chief justice of the supreme court.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

4/12/01...0729s

01-0684

09/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand One

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

50:1 Supreme Court Justices; Chief Justice Position and Term. RSA 490:1 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

490:1 Justices. The supreme court shall consist of 5 justices appointed and commissioned as prescribed by the constitution. On the effective date of this section, the administrative position of chief justice shall be held by the justice with the most seniority on the court for a period of up to 5 years. Each succeeding chief justice shall serve for a period of up to 5 years and shall be the justice with the most seniority of service on the court who has not yet served as chief justice. A justice may decline to serve as chief justice; however, no justice shall be permitted to serve successive terms as chief justice. In the event that all 5 justices have served a term as chief justice, succeeding chief justices shall serve rotating 5-year terms based on seniority.

50:2 Contingency. Section 1 of this act shall take effect upon the date of retirement of chief justice David A. Brock.

50:3 Effective Date.

I. Section 1 of this act shall take effect as provided in section 2 of this act.

(Approved: June 11, 2001)

(Effective Date: I. Section 1 shall take effect as provided in section 2 of this act.