HLS 12RS-1071 ENGROSSED
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE BILL NO. 402
BY REPRESENTATIVES EDWARDS AND MACK
COURTS: Relative to the 21
st
Judicial District Court's Judicial Expense Fund
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 13:996.7 and 996.8, relative to the judicial expense fund for the2
Twenty-First Judicial District; to prohibit the allocation of funds from the Twenty-3
First Judicial District's judicial expense fund for payment of salaries for personnel4
or judges in the Twenty-Second Judicial District and other expenses; and to provide5
for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S. 13:996.7 and 996.8 are hereby amended and reenacted to read as8
follows: 9
§996.7. Judicial expense fund; disbursements10
The judges, en banc, of the Twenty-First Judicial District Court and of the11
Twenty-Second Judicial District Court may, in lieu of all or any part of the fees for12
reporting and transcribing testimony authorized under the provisions of R.S.13
13:961(F), or other applicable laws, and in addition to salaries otherwise provided,14
authorized, or established by law, fix and pay each of their court reporters a salary15
from the judicial expense fund. The judges, en banc, may further appoint such16
secretarial, clerical, research, administrative, or other personnel as they deem17
necessary to expedite the business and function of the court and fix and pay all or18
any part of the salaries of such personnel out of the monies in the judicial expense19
fund. In like manner, the judges, en banc, may utilize the monies in the judicial20
expense fund to pay all or any part of the cost of establishing and/or or maintaining21
a law library for the court, or for buying and/or or maintaining any type of22 HLS 12RS-1071 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 402
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
equipment, supplies, or other items consistent with or germane to the efficient1
operation of the court. In general, the judicial expense fund is established to or2
related to the proper administration or function of the said court of the office of the3
individual judges and is in addition to any and all other funds, salaries, expenses, or4
other monies that are not or hereafter provided, authorized, or established by law for5
any of the aforesaid purposes. 6
§996.8. Judges; prohibition against payment of salaries from judicial expense fund7
No salary shall be paid from the Judicial Expense Fund for the Twenty-First8
Judicial District or for the Twenty-Second Judicial District to any of the judges of9
the Twenty-First Judicial District or of the Twenty-Second Judicial District except10
as may be paid for administering the said fund and then only after prior legislative11
approval. 12
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Edwards HB No. 402
Abstract: Prohibits the allocation of funds from the 21
st
Judicial District's judicial expense
fund for use by the 22
nd
Judicial District.
Present law authorizes judges of the 21
st
and 22
nd
JDCs to fix and pay the salaries for their
court reporters and court personnel out of the judicial expense fund for the 21
st
JDC.
Present law authorizes the judges to use the monies in the judicial expense fund to pay all
or any part of the cost of establishing and maintaining a law library or for buying or
maintaining any type of equipment or supplies or other items consistent with or germane to
the operation of the court.
Proposed law retains present law but removes any reference to the 22
nd
JDC for access to the
judicial expense fund.
Present law prohibits any salary from being paid out of the judicial expense fund for the 21
st
and 22
nd
JDC for any judges of the 21
st
or 22
nd
JDC, except for administering the fund with
legislative approval.
Proposed law retains present law but removes any reference to the 22
nd
JDC for access to the
judicial expense fund.
(Amends R.S. 13:996.7 and 996.8)