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SENATE BILL 2139 (LOCKYER – 1998)
CHAPTER 931, STATUTES OF 1998 SB 2139
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Numerous sections of the California Codes were amended to conform to the legislation effecting the unification of trial courts in 1998 following legislative passage of Senate Bill 2139. (See Exhibit #1h) Senate Bill 2139 was introduced by Senator Bill Lockyer on February 20, 1998. (See Exhibit #1a)
Senate Bill 2139 was assigned to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and the Assembly Committee on Judiciary where policy issues raised by the bill were considered. (See Exhibits #3 and #7) The fiscal ramifications of the bill were considered by the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. (See Exhibits #2 and #9) Six amendments were made to Senate Bill 2139. (See Exhibits #1b through #1g) Subsequent to legislative approval, Governor Pete Wilson signed Senate Bill 2139 on September 28, 1998, and it was recorded by the Secretary of State on that date as Chapter 931 of the Statutes of 1998. (See Exhibits #1h and #2)
Senate Bill 2139 contained an urgency clause which caused the bill to go into immediate effect, the reason for which was stated in uncodified section 481 of Chapter 931. (See Exhibit #1h, page 320)
Senator Lockyer carried Senate Bill 2139 to make various statutory changes to implement trial court unification, contingent upon the approval of his Senate Constitutional Amendment No. 4 [hereinafter referred to as “SCA 4”]. (See Exhibit #3, page 1)
The Assembly Committee on Judiciary analysis of Senate Bill 2139 indicated further as follows:
In anticipation of the possible approval of SCA 4, the Legislature commissioned the California Law Revision Commission (CLRC) to review all affected statutes to identify needed revisions. The administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) also established the “SCA 4 Implementation Working Group” to assist the CLRC in its task.
(See Exhibit #7, page 2)
The Third Reading analysis of the August 24, 1998 amended version of Senate Bill 2139 prepared by the Assembly Committee on Judiciary commented that the “basic thrust of this bill is to preserve the status quo through the unification process.” (See Exhibit #11b, page 2)