SENATE BILL 466

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Steven P. Neville

AN ACT

RELATING TO COURTS; PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL JUDGESHIPS IN THE THIRD AND ELEVENTH DISTRICT COURTS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

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

     SECTION 1. Section 34-6-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1968, Chapter 69, Section 9, as amended) is amended to read:

     "34-6-6. JUDGES--THIRD JUDICIAL DISTRICT.--There shall be [eight] nine district judges in the third judicial district, at least one of whom shall be assigned to water civil cases for at least fifty percent of the judge's caseload."

     SECTION 2. Section 34-6-14 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1968, Chapter 69, Section 17, as amended) is amended to read:

     "34-6-14. JUDGES--ELEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT.--There shall be [eight] nine district judges in the eleventh judicial district. The judges of divisions one, three, four, six [and], eight and nine shall reside and maintain their principal offices in San Juan county, and at least one of the divisions shall be assigned water civil cases for at least fifty percent of its caseload. The judges of divisions two, five and seven shall reside and maintain their principal offices in McKinley county."

     SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION.--One million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the administrative office of the courts for expenditure in fiscal year 2014 and subsequent fiscal years to add two new judgeships, one in the third judicial district and one in the eleventh judicial district, for primarily water civil cases. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

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