Assembly Bill No. 22–Assemblyman Lee

Prefiled January 17, 2001

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Referred to Committee on Government Affairs

SUMMARY—Amends charter of City of Las Vegas to authorize city council to extend terms of municipal judges. (BDR S‑858)

FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.

Effect on the State: No.

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

AN ACT relating to judges; amending the charter of the City of Las Vegas to authorize the city council to extend the terms of municipal judges; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

1-1 Section 1. Section 1.140 of the charter of the City of Las Vegas, being

1-2 chapter 517, Statutes of Nevada 1983, as amended by chapter 526, Statutes

1-3 of Nevada 1997, at page 2515, is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-4 Sec. 1.140 Elective offices.

1-5 1. The elective officers of the city consist of:

1-6 (a) A mayor.

1-7 (b) One councilman from each ward.

1-8 (c) Municipal judges.

1-9 2. The terms of office of the mayor [, councilmen and, except as

1-10 is otherwise provided in subsection 3 of section 4.010 of this charter,

1-11 municipal judges] and councilmen are 4 years.

1-12 3. The term of office of a municipal judge is not more than 6

1-13 years as determined by the city council pursuant to subsection 3 of

1-14 section 4.010 of this charter.

1-15 Sec. 2. Section 4.010 of the charter of the City of Las Vegas, being

1-16 chapter 517, Statutes of Nevada 1983, as last amended by chapter 454,

1-17 Statutes of Nevada 1989, at page 967, is hereby amended to read as

1-18 follows:

1-19 Sec. 4.010 Municipal court.

2-1 1. There is a municipal court of the city which consists of at least

2-2 two departments, each of which must be presided over by a municipal

2-3 judge and has such power and jurisdiction as is prescribed in, and is,

2-4 in all respects which are not inconsistent with this charter, governed

2-5 by chapters 5 and 266 of NRS which relate to municipal courts.

2-6 2. The city council may from time to time establish additional

2-7 departments of the municipal court and shall appoint an additional

2-8 municipal judge for each.

2-9 3. At the first general election which follows the appointment of

2-10 an additional municipal judge to a newly created department of the

2-11 municipal court, the successor to that municipal judge must be elected

2-12 for a term of [2 or 4] not more than 6 years, as determined by the city

2-13 council, in order to effectuate the intent of this provision that, as

2-14 nearly as practicable, [one‑half] at least one-third of the number of

2-15 municipal judges be elected every 2 years.

2-16 4. The respective departments of the municipal court must be

2-17 numbered 1 through the appropriate arabic number, as additional

2-18 departments are approved by the city council. A municipal judge must

2-19 be elected for each department by number.

2-20 Sec. 3. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.

2-21 H