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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR:	Aragon		DATE TYPED:	02/18/03		HB
SHORT TITLE:		Judicial System Study Committee				SB	SJM 7
					ANALYST:		Hayes

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Responses Received From

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Joint Memorial 7 requests the New Mexico legislative council to continue the Judicial System Study Committee during the 2003 interim.

Significant Issues

Effective June 2001, the legislative council created the Judicial Systems Study Committee to study judiciary problems, issues and needs. In 2001 and 2002, the committee conducted hearings on topics ranging from judgeship needs and court automation to courthouse facilities and drug court problems.

During the 2003 interim, the committee would like to focus its study on the judicial retirement systems along with their funding sources and actuarial soundness.

According to the AOC, the creation and continuation of the Judiciary Study Committee provide the State of New Mexico with an opportunity to continue the tradition of regular review and reform of the structure of the judicial branch.

CMH/prr