MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Juvenile Justice

By: Representatives Robinson (63rd), Reeves

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 43-21-119 AND 43-21-123, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE CERTAIN COUNTY BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS OR ADMINISTRATORS TO ADMINISTER YOUTH COURT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 43-21-119, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-21-119. The judge or his designee shall appoint as provided in Section 43-21-123 sufficient personnel, responsible to and under the control of the youth court, to carry on the professional, clerical and other work of the youth court. In counties with a population of more than two hundred forty-five thousand (245,000) according to the 1990 decennial census, the county administrator shall appoint, as provided in Section 43-21-123, sufficient personnel responsible to and under the control of the youth court, to carry on the professional, clerical and other work of the youth court. The cost of these persons appointed by the youth court shall be paid as provided in Section 43-21-123 out of any available funds budgeted for the youth court by the board of supervisors.

SECTION 2. Section 43-21-123, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-21-123. Except for expenses provided by state funds and/or other monies, the board of supervisors, or the municipal governing board where there is a municipal youth court, shall adequately provide funds for the operation of the youth court division of the chancery court in conjunction with the regular chancery court budget, or the county or family courts where said courts are constituted. In preparation for said funding, on an annual basis at the time requested, the youth court judge or administrator shall prepare and submit to the board of supervisors, or the municipal governing board of the youth court wherever the youth court is a municipal court, an annual budget which will identify the number, staff position, title and amount of annual or monthly compensation of each position as well as provide for other expenditures necessary to the functioning and operation of the youth court. When the budget of the youth court or youth court judge is approved by the board of supervisors of the governing authority of the municipality, then the youth court * * * judge, county administrator in counties with a population of more than two hundred forty-five thousand (245,000) according to the 1990 decennial census or board of supervisors in counties with a population of more than two hundred forty-five thousand (245,000) according to the 1990 decennial census may employ such persons as provided in the budget from time to time.

The board of supervisors of any county in which there is located a youth court, and the governing authority of any municipality in which there is located a municipal youth court, are each authorized to reimburse the youth court judges and other youth court employees or personnel for reasonable travel and expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and in attending educational meetings offering professional training to such persons as budgeted.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.