The Committee on Judiciary proposes the following Amendment No. 1 to H. 4974 (COUNCIL\AHB\4974C003.BH.AHB20):

Reference is to the bill as introduced.

Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:

/SECTION 1. Section 14 -5-610(B) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(B) One judge must be elected from the second, sixth, and twelfth circuits. Two judges must be elected from the first, third, fourth, seventh, eighth, tenth, eleventh, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth circuits. Three judges must be elected from the fifth and, ninth, fourteenth, and fifteenth circuits. Four judges must be elected from the thirteenth circuit."

SECTION2. Section 63 -3-40(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A) The General Assembly shall elect a number of family court judges from each judicial circuit as follows:

First Circuit Three Four Judges

Second Circuit Two Judges

Third Circuit Three Judges

Fourth Circuit Three Judges

Fifth Circuit Four Judges

Sixth Circuit Two Judges

Seventh Circuit Three Judges

Eighth Circuit Three Judges

Ninth Circuit Six Judges

Tenth Circuit Three Judges

Eleventh Circuit Three Judges

Twelfth Circuit Three Judges

Thirteenth Circuit Six Judges

Fourteenth CircuitThree Judges

Fifteenth Circuit Three Judges

Sixteenth Circuit Two Three Judges"

SECTION3. The Judicial Merit Selection Commission shall begin the process of nominating candidates for the judicial offices authorized by the provisions of SECTIONS 1 and 2, except that the additional judicial office in Section 1 added in the fourteenth judicial circuit is not effective until January 1, 2022. The General Assembly then shall elect these judges from the nominees of the commission; except that, the nominating process may not begin until funding for the additional judges is provided in the general appropriations act.

SECTION4 .This act takes effect upon approval of the Governor. /