CHAPTER 14 SENATE BILL No. 17 An  Act concerning district courts; relating to clerks and nonjudicial personnel; amending
K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 20-343 and 20-345 and repealing the existing sections. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

      Section  1. K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 20-343 is hereby amended to read as
follows: 20-343. The chief judge, with the approval of a majority of the
other district judges of the each judicial district, shall appoint a clerk of
the district court in each county within such judicial district. The chief
judge, with the approval of a majority of the other district judges of the
judicial district, shall designate one of such clerks as the chief clerk of the
district court of such judicial district, except that a chief clerk is not re-
quired to be designated in a judicial district which is authorized to have
a court administrator pursuant to the personnel plan of the supreme
court. The clerks of the district court and deputies, assistants and other
clerical personnel shall have such qualifications as are prescribed for the
offices by statute, rule of the district court and rule of the supreme court.
Such clerks, deputies, assistants and other personnel shall have such pow-
ers, duties and functions as are prescribed by law, prescribed by rules of
the supreme court or assigned by the chief judge.

      Sec.  2. K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 20-345 is hereby amended to read as fol-
lows: 20-345. Within staffing limits prescribed by the supreme court and
appropriations therefor, the chief judge of each judicial district, with the
approval of a majority of the other district judges of such judicial district,
shall appoint such bailiffs, court reporters, secretaries, court services of-
ficers and other clerical and nonjudicial personnel as necessary to perform
the judicial and administrative functions of the district court. Persons
appointed pursuant to this section shall have qualifications prescribed by
law or rule of the supreme court. Except as otherwise provided by law,
such persons shall receive compensation prescribed by the judicial per-
sonnel classification system. Such persons shall perform the duties and
functions prescribed by law, designated in the personnel classification
system or assigned by the chief judge, subject to rule of the supreme
court. Personnel whose salary is payable by counties shall receive com-
pensation in the amounts provided in the district court budget approved
by the board of county commissioners. Whenever any person is employed
or assigned to work under direct supervision of any judge or in a division
of court in which a judge presides, the employment or assignment of the
person shall be subject to the approval of that judge.

 Sec.  3. K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 20-343 and 20-345 are hereby repealed.

 Sec.  4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after and
its publication in the Kansas register.

Approved March 26, 2003.
 Published in the Kansas Register April 3, 2003.
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