0001|                            HOUSE BILL 889
    |
0002|     43rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 1997
    |
0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
    |
0004|                          R. DAVID PEDERSON
    |
0005|     
    |
0006|                                   
    |
0007|     
    |
0008|                                   
    |
0009|     
    |
0010|                                AN ACT
    |
0011|     RELATING TO COURTS; PROVIDING THAT A PERCENTAGE OF A PUNITIVE
    |
0012|     DAMAGES AWARD SHALL BE DEDICATED FOR THE PROVISION OF LEGAL
    |
0013|     SERVICES TO INDIGENT PERSONS; CREATING FUNDS; MAKING AN
    |
0014|     APPROPRIATION. 
    |
0015|     
    |
0016|     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
    |
0017|          Section 1.  PUNITIVE DAMAGES AWARD--PERCENTAGE OF AWARD
    |
0018|     DEDICATED TO INDIGENT REPRESENTATION FUNDS.--If punitive
    |
0019|     damages are awarded to a party in a civil action, the party who
    |
0020|     receives the punitive damages award shall retain fifty percent
    |
0021|     of the award.  Twenty-five percent of the punitive damages
    |
0022|     award shall be deposited in the civil indigent representation
    |
0023|     fund and twenty-five percent of the punitive damages award
    |
0024|     shall be deposited in the criminal indigent representation
    |
0025|     fund.          Section 2.  CIVIL INDIGENT REPRESENTATION FUND
    |
0001|     CREATED--ADMINISTRATION--DISTRIBUTION.--
    |
0002|               A.  There is created in the state treasury the
    |
0003|     "civil indigent representation fund" to be administered by the
    |
0004|     administrative office of the courts.
    |
0005|               B.  Balances in the civil indigent representation
    |
0006|     fund may be expended by the administrative office of the courts
    |
0007|     for the purpose of increasing the availability of civil legal
    |
0008|     services to indigent persons.  Balances in the fund shall be
    |
0009|     expended by the administrative office of the courts in an
    |
0010|     equitable manner throughout the state, upon a showing of need
    |
0011|     by applicants for money from the fund.
    |
0012|               C.  Balances in the civil indigent representation
    |
0013|     fund shall not revert at the end of any fiscal year.
    |
0014|               D.  Payments from the civil indigent representation
    |
0015|     fund shall be made upon vouchers issued and signed by the
    |
0016|     director of the administrative office of the courts upon
    |
0017|     warrants drawn by the secretary of finance and administration. 
    |
0018|          Section 3.  CRIMINAL INDIGENT REPRESENTATION FUND CREATED-
    |
0019|     -ADMINISTRATION--DISTRIBUTION.--
    |
0020|               A.  There is created in the state treasury the
    |
0021|     "criminal indigent representation fund" to be administered by
    |
0022|     the public defender department.
    |
0023|               B.  Balances in the criminal indigent representation
    |
0024|     fund may be expended by the public defender department for the
    |
0025|     purpose of increasing the availability of criminal legal
    |
0001|     services to indigent persons.  Balances in the fund shall be
    |
0002|     expended by the public defender department in an equitable
    |
0003|     manner throughout the state, upon a showing of need by
    |
0004|     applicants for money from the fund.
    |
0005|               C.  Balances in the criminal indigent representation
    |
0006|     fund shall not revert at the end of any fiscal year.
    |
0007|               D.  Payments from the criminal indigent
    |
0008|     representation fund shall be made upon vouchers issued and
    |
0009|     signed by the chief public defender upon warrants drawn by the
    |
0010|     secretary of finance and administration.
    |
0011|          Section 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
    |
0012|     provisions of this act is July 1, 1997.
    |
0013|                                                          State of New Mexico
    |
0014|                      House of Representatives
    |
0015|   
    |
0016|                      FORTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
    |
0017|                        FIRST SESSION, 1997
    |
0018|   
    |
0019|   
    |
0020|                                                   March 3, 1997
    |
0021|   
    |
0022|   
    |
0023|   Mr. Speaker:
    |
0024|   
    |
0025|        Your JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, to whom has been referred
    |
0001|   
    |
0002|                        HOUSE BILL 889
    |
0003|                               
    |
0004|   has had it under consideration and reports same with
    |
0005|   recommendation that it DO PASS, and thence referred to the
    |
0006|   APPROPRIATIONS AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
    |
0007|   
    |
0008|                                 Respectfully submitted,
    |
0009|   
    |
0010|   
    |
0011|   
    |
0012|                                 <u>                                
</u>    |
<u></u>0013| <u>  
</u>    |
<u></u>0014| <u>                                </u>                             Thomas P. Foy, Chairman
    |
0015|   
    |
0016|   
    |
0017|   Adopted <u>                    </u>     Not Adopted <u>                    
</u>    |
<u></u>0018| <u>   </u>
    |
0019|             (Chief Clerk)                       (Chief Clerk)
    |
0020|   
    |
0021|                        Date <u>            </u>
    |
0022|   
    |
0023|   The roll call vote was<u> 10 </u> For<u> 0 </u> Against
    |
0024|   Yes:      10
    |
0025|             Excused:  Mallory, Rios, Sanchez
    |
0001|             Absent:   None
    |
0002|   
    |
0003|   
    |
0004|   G:\BILLTEXT\BILLW_97\H0889
    |