1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to courts; authorizing retired court 
  1.3             commissioners to be appointed to perform judicial 
  1.4             duties in the district court; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 2002, sections 2.724, subdivision 3; 489.01, 
  1.6             by adding a subdivision. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 2.724, 
  1.9   subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 3.  [RETIRED JUSTICES AND, JUDGES, AND 
  1.11  COMMISSIONERS.] (a) The chief justice of the Supreme Court may 
  1.12  assign a retired justice of the Supreme Court to act as a 
  1.13  justice of the Supreme Court pursuant to subdivision 2 or as a 
  1.14  judge of any other court.  The chief justice may assign a 
  1.15  retired judge of any court to act as a judge of any court except 
  1.16  the Supreme Court.  The chief justice may assign a retired court 
  1.17  commissioner to act as a commissioner of any district court.  
  1.18  The chief justice of the Supreme Court shall determine the pay 
  1.19  and expenses to be received by a judge or commissioner acting 
  1.20  pursuant to this paragraph. 
  1.21     (b) A judge who has been elected to office and who has 
  1.22  retired as a judge in good standing and is not practicing law 
  1.23  may also be appointed to serve as judge of any court except the 
  1.24  Supreme Court.  A retired judge acting under this paragraph will 
  1.25  receive pay and expenses in the amount established by the 
  1.26  Supreme Court. 
  2.1      (c) A commissioner who has retired as a commissioner in 
  2.2   good standing and is not practicing law may also be appointed to 
  2.3   serve as commissioner of any court except the Supreme Court or 
  2.4   Court of Appeals.  A retired commissioner acting under this 
  2.5   paragraph will receive pay and expenses in the amount 
  2.6   established by the Supreme Court. 
  2.7      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 489.01, is 
  2.8   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.9      Subd. 4.  [COURT COMMISSIONER RETIREMENT.] Upon retirement 
  2.10  of a court commissioner, the retired commissioner may be 
  2.11  appointed pursuant to section 2.724 and assigned to aid and 
  2.12  assist in the performance of such duties as may be assigned by 
  2.13  the chief judge of the district and act thereon with full powers 
  2.14  of a commissioner as provided in section 489.02.