46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

RELATING TO COURTS; INCREASING BY ONE THE NUMBER OF DISTRICT COURT JUDGES IN THE NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT; MAKING APPROPRIATIONS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 34-6-12 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1968, Chapter 69, Section 15, as amended) is amended to read:

"34-6-12. JUDGES--NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT.--There shall be [three] four district judges in the ninth judicial district. The judge of division three shall reside in Curry or Roosevelt county and maintain his principal office in Roosevelt county. As used in this section, "maintain his principal office" means holding court or being available to hold court no less than one hundred forty days during each calendar year."

Section 2. APPROPRIATIONS.--

A. The following amounts are appropriated from the general fund to the following agencies for expenditure in fiscal year 2004 for the following purposes in the ninth judicial district:

(1) two hundred ninety-three thousand two hundred ninety dollars ($293,290) to the ninth judicial district court for salaries and benefits and furniture, supplies and equipment for one additional judge and support staff;

(2) seventy-eight thousand six hundred sixty-five dollars ($78,665) to the ninth judicial district attorney for salaries and benefits and furniture, supplies and equipment for additional staff due to increased district court workload; and

(3) one hundred five thousand five hundred thirty dollars ($105,530) to the public defender department for salaries and benefits and furniture, supplies and equipment for additional public defender attorneys and support staff and for costs of contract and conflict counsel due to increased district court workload.

B. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.

Section 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2003.