HB 2770: Courts; judicial salaries; applicability; exceptions; modifying salary references; effective date; emergency. - Oklahoma

House Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates judicial salaries in Oklahoma for fiscal year 2026 and beyond, replacing the 2021 salary figures with new amounts. The changes affect judges across multiple courts including the Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, and District Courts. The bill also clarifies that any future salary increases must be paid from existing available funds.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on judicial compensation but updates the specific salary amounts and fiscal year reference from 2021 to 2026.

FISCAL

Salary amounts for all judicial officers were increased across the Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, and District Courts.

TIMELINE

The fiscal year reference was updated from 2021 to 2026, indicating the new salary structure applies to the 2026 fiscal year and subsequent years.

REQUIREMENT

Added language clarifying that any salary increases must be paid from existing available funds rather than requiring new appropriations.

TECHNICAL

The document was converted from a Committee Substitute version to a Floor (House) version with updated page numbering and formatting.

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 2 → House Committee Substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add Senate sponsors (Hall and Haste) and update technical details including the committee substitute title, request number, and tracking codes. These are primarily procedural and administrative changes rather than substantive policy modifications.

TECHNICAL

Added Senate sponsors Hall and Haste to the bill authorship list

Changed document title from 'PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to 'COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE'

Updated request number from 13763 to 13790 on all pages

Changed tracking code from MKS to JM and date from 05/18/25 to 05/19/25

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 2 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill update increases judicial salaries across Oklahoma's court system, including the Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, and District Courts. The changes reflect new compensation levels for fiscal year 2026 and beyond, with specific dollar amounts updated for each judicial position. The bill also adds a new section covering district court judges and associate district judges, expanding the scope of salary adjustments beyond the previously covered courts.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include district court judges and associate district judges, in addition to the previously covered Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals judges.

FISCAL

Supreme Court Chief Justice salary increased from $184,092 to $198,212 annually

Supreme Court Associate Justice salary increased from $172,390 to $185,612 annually

Court of Civil Appeals Judge salary increased from $166,341 to $179,099 annually

Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge salary increased from $178,439 to $192,126 annually

Court of Criminal Appeals Judge salary increased from $172,390 to $185,612 annually

New salary provisions added for district court judges ($167,703), associate district judges ($154,678), and special judges ($141,651)

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata including committee version number, date, and page tracking numbers

Enrolled (final version) → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended by the House Judiciary Committee to update judicial salary figures for Oklahoma state courts. The committee substitute replaces the entire enrolled bill with revised compensation amounts for judges across the Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, and District Courts, with some salary increases and others showing decreases compared to the original version.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on judicial compensation, but the specific salary amounts and fiscal year applicability were modified by the committee.

FISCAL

Updated salary amounts for Chief Justice of Supreme Court from $172,049 to $184,092, Associate Justice from $161,112 to $172,390, Presiding Judge of Civil Appeals from $155,459 to $166,341, and Judge of Civil Appeals from $152,632 to $163,316

Updated salary amounts for Presiding Judge of Criminal Appeals from $166,765 to $178,439, and Judge of Criminal Appeals from $161,112 to $172,390

Added salary amounts for District Court judges at $167,703 and Associate District Judges at $154,678, which were not included in the committee substitute

TIMELINE

Maintained the effective date of July 1, 2025, and kept the emergency declaration provision

TECHNICAL

Removed references to fiscal year 2021 and corrected to fiscal year 2026 for salary applicability

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 7 edits · May 22, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates judicial salaries in Oklahoma for fiscal year 2026 and beyond, increasing pay for judges across multiple courts including the Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, and district courts. The changes reflect a salary adjustment that takes effect July 1, 2025, with funding to come from existing available funds.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on judicial compensation, but the specific salary amounts and fiscal year covered have been updated from 2021 to 2026.

FISCAL

Judicial salaries for fiscal year 2026 and beyond are increased across all courts, with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court receiving $198,212.00 (up from $172,049.00) and Associate Justices receiving $185,612.00 (up from $161,112.00).

Presiding Judge of the Court of Civil Appeals salary increased to $179,099.00 (from $155,459.00) and regular judges to $175,844.00 (from $152,632.00).

Presiding Judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals salary increased to $192,126.00 (from $166,765.00) and regular judges to $185,612.00 (from $161,112.00).

District court judge salary increased to $167,703.00 (from $145,567.00) and associate district judges to $154,678.00 (from $134,261.00).

Special judge salary increased to $141,651.00 (from $122,954.00).

TIMELINE

The effective date for these salary changes is July 1, 2025, covering fiscal year 2026 and each subsequent fiscal year.

TECHNICAL

The document format changed from Engrossed to Enrolled version, adding signatures from House and Senate presiding officers, Governor approval section, and Secretary of State receipt section, indicating the bill has completed the legislative process.

Introduced → Engrossed · 10 edits · May 22, 2025

MAJOR

This bill was substantially rewritten from a budget finance act to a judicial salary adjustment bill. The original version created a Budget and Finance Act of 2025, but the new version focuses entirely on increasing salaries for Oklahoma judges and judicial officers. This matters because it changes the bill's purpose from general budget administration to specific compensation increases for the judiciary.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from creating a new Budget and Finance Act to amending existing Oklahoma Statutes sections that govern judicial compensation.

SCOPE

Bill title and subject matter changed from 'Budget and Finance Act of 2025' to judicial salary adjustments

FISCAL

Chief Justice salary increased from $172,049 to $198,212 annually

Supreme Court Associate Justice salary increased from $161,112 to $185,612 annually

Court of Civil Appeals Presiding Judge salary increased from $155,459 to $179,099 annually

Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge salary increased from $166,765 to $192,126 annually

District Court Judge salary increased from $145,567 to $167,703 annually

Associate District Judge salary increased from $134,261 to $154,678 annually

Special Judge salary increased from $122,954 to $141,651 annually

TIMELINE

Effective date changed from November 1, 2025 to July 1, 2025

ELIGIBILITY

Fiscal year reference changed from 2021 to 2026 for all salary provisions

Courts; judicial salaries; applicability; exceptions; modifying salary references; effective date; emergency.

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