Bill
SB 926
Authorizes up to two additional circuit judges for the 17th Judicial Circuit (Kent County), to begin January 1, 2027, to address caseloads.
SB 926 proposes to modify the composition of the 17th Judicial Circuit, which currently covers Kent County, by authorizing the addition of up to two circuit court judges. The bill sets explicit timelines for when these additional judges could be appointed, shifting from a potential 2017 start (as in the current text) to a future date of January 1, 2027. The underlying goal is to address caseload and workload considerations in Kent County by increasing judicial capacity in the 17th Circuit.
Current Structure (as amended in 2014):
The 17th Judicial Circuit comprises Kent County and has 10 to 11 judges (the bill’s language indicates a baseline of 10, with the potential to be increased).
Authorized Additional Judges:
SB 926 allows for up to 2 additional circuit court judges to serve in the 17th Judicial Circuit.
Effective Date for Additions:
The addition of up to two judges is authorized to begin on January 1, 2027.
Relation to Section 550:
Any expanded jurisdictional staffing remains subject to the constraints of Section 550 (which governs the assignment and creation of judgeships within the judiciary).
Kent County Residents:
The primary impact is on residents of Kent County, the home of the 17th Judicial Circuit. More judges generally affect access to faster trial scheduling, case management, and potential case resolution timelines.
Judiciary and Court Administration:
The state judiciary would implement the creation of up to two additional circuit judgeships, including staffing, budgeting, and administrative planning required to support additional judges.
Legislative Status:
Introduced in the Senate on April 23, 2026 by Senator Mark Huizenga. Referred to the Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety.
Potential Implementation Timeline:
If enacted, the bill would authorize the two additional judgeships to commence on January 1, 2027, aligning with a long-range planning horizon for court staffing.
Future Adjustments and Oversight:
As with any judgeship creation, implementation would require budgetary approval and compliance with existing statutory controls (e.g., Section 550).
Caseload Management:
Providing up to two additional judges could help reduce backlogs and improve case handling times in Kent County.
Resource Allocation:
The judiciary would need to allocate funding, courtroom space, staff, and support services to accommodate the new judges.
Long-Term Planning:
The delayed effective date (2027) suggests a planning window for court administration and the state legislature to address associated costs.
This summary aims to convey the bill’s core purpose, the substantive changes it would make, who would be affected, and notable procedural timing. If you’d like, I can add a side-by-side comparison with the current statute text or provide potential fiscal impact considerations based on typical costs per judgeship.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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