1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to judicial administration; increasing the 
  1.3             number of terms that may be held by chief judges from 
  1.4             two to three; amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, 
  1.5             section 484.69, subdivision 1. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 484.69, 
  1.8   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [ELECTION; TERM; REMOVAL.] The judges of 
  1.10  the district court resident in each of the judicial districts 
  1.11  shall meet and elect from among their number a single chief 
  1.12  judge and an assistant chief judge.  The chief judge and the 
  1.13  assistant chief judge shall serve a term of two years beginning 
  1.14  July 1 of the year in which they are elected.  No judge may 
  1.15  serve as chief judge or assistant chief judge for more than two 
  1.16  three consecutive two year terms, except as provided in 
  1.17  subdivision 1a.  For the term beginning July 1, 1991, and after 
  1.18  that, the chief judge and assistant chief judge in the 
  1.19  odd-numbered judicial district shall be elected to a term of two 
  1.20  years.  For the term beginning July 1, 1991, the chief judge and 
  1.21  assistant chief judge in the even-numbered judicial districts 
  1.22  shall be elected to a term of one year.  For the term beginning 
  1.23  July 1, 1992, and after that, the chief judge and assistant 
  1.24  chief judge in the even-numbered judicial districts shall be 
  1.25  elected to a term of two years. 
  2.1      The seniority of judges and rotation of the position of 
  2.2   chief judge or assistant chief judge shall not be criteria for 
  2.3   the election of the chief judge or the assistant chief judge. 
  2.4      A chief judge or assistant chief judge may be removed for 
  2.5   cause as chief judge or assistant chief judge by the chief 
  2.6   justice of the supreme court, or by a majority of the judges of 
  2.7   the judicial district. 
  2.8      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.9      Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.