The bill under consideration repeals Chapter 120 of the Public Laws of 1964, which established a police court in the Town of Johnston, including all provisions related to the creation and operation of the court, the appointment of judges and clerks, and the court's jurisdiction and procedures. The repeal includes the deletion of sections concerning the court's seal, the election and terms of judges, the appointment and term of the clerk, the court's original jurisdiction over certain offenses, and the handling of appeals and costs. Additionally, the bill removes provisions related to the management of appeal costs, the process for paying fines for parking violations without a court appearance, the town council's power to set fines, and the application of the town charter to the police court's functions. It also eliminates sections on the severability of the act, the requirement for a referendum to approve the act, the effective dates of various sections, and transitional provisions for existing cases and records.

The bill introduces new legal language that allows the town council of Johnston to establish a municipal court with original jurisdiction to hear and determine cases involving the violation of town ordinances, as well as a municipal housing court with the authority to address violations related to zoning, housing standards, and building codes. The town council is empowered to appoint judges and clerks for these courts and to enact ordinances governing court operations, including the imposition of fines up to $500. Defendants found guilty in the municipal court, except for certain offenses, may appeal to the superior court within seven days for a trial de novo. The act would take effect upon passage, granting the town of Johnston the ability to establish courts with expanded legal and equitable powers.