A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to divide district court judicial district 30 into districtS 30A and 30B, to realign superior court judicial districts 30A and 30B, and to appropriate funds.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 7A‑41(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The counties of the State are organized into judicial divisions and superior court districts, and each superior court district has the counties, and the number of regular resident superior court judges set forth in the following table, and for districts of less than a whole county, as set out in subsection (b) of this section:
	Superior
Judicial	Court		No. of Resident
Division	District	Counties	Judges
__________________________________________________________________________
First	1	Camden, Chowan,	2
Currituck,
Dare, Gates,
		Pasquotank,
Perquimans
First	2	Beaufort, Hyde,	1
	Martin,
	Tyrrell, Washington
First	3A	Pitt	2
Second	3B	Carteret, Craven,	3
	Pamlico
Second	4	Duplin, Jones,	2
	Onslow, Sampson
Second	5A	(part of New Hanover,	1
	Pender
	see subsection (b))	5
	5B	(part of New Hanover,	1
	see subsection (b))
	5C	(part of New Hanover,	1
	see subsection (b))
First	6A	Halifax	1
First	6B	Bertie, Hertford,	1
	Northampton
First	7A	Nash	1
First	7B	(part of Wilson,	1
	part of Edgecombe,
	see subsection (b))
First	7C	(part of Wilson,	1
	part of Edgecombe,
	see subsection (b))
Second	8A	Lenoir and Greene	1
Second	8B	Wayne	1
First	9	Franklin, Granville,	2
	Person, Vance, Warren
Third	10A	(part of Wake,	1
	see subsection (b))
Third	10B	(part of Wake,	1
	see subsection (b))
Third	10C	(part of Wake,	1
	see subsection (b))
Third	10D	(part of Wake,	1
	see subsection (b))
Third	10E	(part of Wake,	1
	see subsection (b))
Third	10F	(part of Wake,	1
	see subsection (b))
Third	11A	Harnett,	1
	Lee
Third	11B	Johnston	1
Third	12A	(part of Cumberland,	1
	see subsection (b))
Third	12B	(part of Cumberland,	1
	see subsection (b))
Third	12C	(part of Cumberland,	2
	see subsection (b))
Second	13A	Bladen, Columbus	1
Second	13B	Brunswick	1
First	14A	(part of Durham,	1
	see subsection (b))
First	14B	(part of Durham,	3
	see subsection (b))
Third	15A	Alamance	2
Fourth	15B	Orange, Chatham	2
Third	16A	Anson, Richmond,	2
	Scotland
Second	16B	Robeson	2
Fourth	17A	Caswell, Rockingham	2
Fourth	17B	Stokes, Surry	1
Fourth	18A	(part of Guilford,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fourth	18B	(part of Guilford,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fourth	18C	(part of Guilford,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fourth	18D	(part of Guilford,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fourth	18E	(part of Guilford,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fourth	19A	Cabarrus	1
Third	19B	Randolph	2
Fourth	19C	Rowan	1
Third	19D	Hoke, Moore	2
Third	20A	Montgomery, Stanly	2
Third	20B	Union	2
Fourth	21A	(part of Forsyth,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fourth	21B	(part of Forsyth,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fourth	21C	(part of Forsyth,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fourth	21D	(part of Forsyth,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fourth	22A	Alexander, Iredell	2
Fourth	22B	Davidson, Davie	2
Fourth	23	Alleghany, Ashe,	1
	Wilkes, Yadkin
Fifth	24	Avery, Madison,	2
	Mitchell,
	Watauga, Yancey
Fifth	25A	Burke, Caldwell	2
Fifth	25B	Catawba	2
Fifth	26A	(part of Mecklenburg,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fifth	26B	(part of Mecklenburg,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fifth	26C	(part of Mecklenburg,	1
	see subsection (b))
	26D	(part of Mecklenburg,	1
	see subsection (b))
	26E	(part of Mecklenburg,	1
	see subsection (b))
	26F	(part of Mecklenburg,	1
	see subsection (b))
	26G	(part of Mecklenburg,	1
	see subsection (b))
	26H	(part of Mecklenburg,	1
	see subsection (b))
Fifth	27A	Gaston	2
Fifth	27B	Cleveland, Lincoln	2
Fifth	28	Buncombe	2
Fifth	29A	McDowell,	1
	Rutherford
Fifth	29B	Henderson, Polk,	1
	Transylvania
Fifth	30A	Cherokee, Clay,	1
	Graham, Macon
	
Fifth	30B	Haywood, Jackson,	1
		Swain."
SECTION 1.(b)  Upon realignment of Superior Court Districts 30A and 30B, the existing superior court judicial assistants serving at the pleasure of the senior resident superior court judge shall be reclassified as trial court administrators.
SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 7A‑133(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Each district court district shall have the numbers of judges as set forth in the following table:
District	Judges	County
1	5	Camden
Chowan
Currituck
Dare
Gates
Pasquotank
Perquimans
2	4	Martin
Beaufort
Tyrrell
Hyde
Washington
3A	6	Pitt
3B	6	Craven
Pamlico
Carteret
4	9	Sampson
Duplin
Jones
Onslow
5	9	New Hanover
Pender
6	4	Northampton
Bertie
Hertford
Halifax
7	7	Nash
Edgecombe
Wilson
8	6	Wayne
Greene
Lenoir
9	5	Granville
(part of Vance
see subsection
(b))
Franklin
Person
9B	2	Warren
(part of Vance
see subsection (b))
10A	3	(part of Wake
see subsection (b))
10B	3	(part of Wake
see subsection (b))
10C	3	(part of Wake
see subsection (b))
10D	5	(part of Wake
see subsection (b))
10E	3	(part of Wake
see subsection (b))
10F	3	(part of Wake
see subsection (b))
11	11	Harnett
Johnston
Lee
12	10	Cumberland
13	6	Bladen
Brunswick
Columbus
14	7	Durham
15A	4	Alamance
15B	5	Orange
Chatham
16A	4	Scotland
Anson
Richmond
16B	6	Robeson
17A	4	Caswell
Rockingham
17B	4	Stokes
Surry
18	14	Guilford
19A	6	Cabarrus
19B	5	Randolph
19C	5	Rowan
20A	3	Montgomery
Stanly
(part of Union
see subsection (b))
20B	1	(part of Union
see subsection
(b))
20C	2	(part of Union
see subsection
(b))
20D	2	Union
21	11	Forsyth
22A	6	Alexander
Iredell
22B	6	Davidson
Davie
23	4	Alleghany
Ashe
Wilkes
Yadkin
24	4	Avery
Madison
Mitchell
Watauga
Yancey
25	10	Burke
Caldwell
Catawba
26	21	Mecklenburg
27A	7	Gaston
27B	6	Cleveland
Lincoln
28	7	Buncombe
29A	4	McDowell
Rutherford
29B	4	Henderson
Polk
Transylvania

30A	3	Cherokee
Clay
Graham
Macon
30B	5	Haywood
Jackson
Swain."
SECTION 2.(b)  The three district court judgeships established for District 30A by subsection (a) of this section shall be filled by a district court judge from current District 30 who resides in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, or Macon Counties. The term of the one judge living in Clay County elected in the general election in 2020 expires December 31, 2024. The two newly established judges for District 30A are to be appointed by the Governor pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.
SECTION 2.(c)  The five district court judgeships established for District 30B by subsection (a) of this section shall be filled by the district court judges from current District 30 who reside in Haywood, Jackson, or Swain Counties. The terms of the two judges living in Haywood County elected in the general election in 2020 expire December 31, 2024. The terms of the three judges living in Haywood County elected in the general election in 2019 expire December 31, 2022.
SECTION 2.(d)  The Governor shall appoint pursuant to G.S. 7A‑142 two additional district court judges for District 30A authorized by subsection (b) of this section. The terms of the judges appointed under this subsection expire December 31, 2022, and successors to the appointed judges shall be elected during the general election in 2022 to begin four‑year terms on January 1, 2023.
SECTION 2.(e)  Upon division of the District Court District 30 into District Court Districts 30A and 30B, the Administrative Office of the Courts shall do the following:
(1)	Assign the two existing district court judicial assistants in Haywood County to serve at the pleasure of the chief district court judge in District Court District 30B.
(2)	Hire one new district court judicial assistant to serve at the pleasure of the chief district court judge in District Court District 30A using the funds appropriated in Section 4 of this act.
SECTION 2.(f)  Using available funds, the Administrative Office of the Courts shall ensure that District Court District 30A and District Court District 30B shall each have a custody mediator, unless the Administrative Office of the Courts authorizes all or part of a program in one judicial district to be operated in conjunction with that of another district or districts.
SECTION 3.  G.S. 7A‑60(a1) reads as rewritten:
"(a1)	(Effective January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022) The counties of the State are organized into prosecutorial districts, and each district has the counties and the number of full‑time assistant district attorneys set forth in the following table:
No. of Full‑Time
Prosecutorial	Asst. District
District	Counties	Attorneys
1	Camden, Chowan, Currituck,	12
Dare, Gates, Pasquotank,
Perquimans
2	Beaufort, Hyde, Martin,	8
Tyrrell, Washington
3	Pitt	12
4	Carteret, Craven, Pamlico	13
5	Duplin, Jones, Onslow,	20
Sampson
6	New Hanover, Pender	20
7	Bertie, Halifax, Hertford,	11
Northampton
8	Edgecombe, Nash, Wilson	19
9	Greene, Lenoir, Wayne	15
10	Wake	42
11	Franklin, Granville, Person	15
Vance, Warren
12	Harnett, Lee	12
13	Johnston	11
14	Cumberland	25
15	Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus	15
16	Durham	18
17	Alamance	12
18	Orange, Chatham	10
20	Robeson	13
21	Anson, Richmond, Scotland	9
22	Caswell, Rockingham	9
23	Stokes, Surry	8
24	Guilford	35
25	Cabarrus	10
26	Mecklenburg	58
27	Rowan	9
29	Hoke, Moore	9
28	Montgomery, Stanly	6
30	Union	11
31	Forsyth	27
32	Alexander, Iredell	13
33	Davidson, Davie	12
34	Alleghany, Ashe, Wilkes,	9
Yadkin
35	Avery, Madison, Mitchell,	8
Watauga, Yancey
36	Burke, Caldwell, Catawba	20
37	Randolph	10
38	Gaston	16
39	Cleveland,	13
Lincoln
40	Buncombe	14
41	McDowell, Rutherford	8
42	Henderson, Polk, Transylvania	9
43	Cherokee, Clay, Graham,	15
Haywood, Jackson, Macon,
Swain.
(a1)	(Effective January 1, 2023) The counties of the State are organized into prosecutorial districts, and each district has the counties and the number of full‑time assistant district attorneys set forth in the following table:
No. of Full‑Time
Prosecutorial	Asst. District
District	Counties	Attorneys
1	Camden, Chowan, Currituck,	12
Dare, Gates, Pasquotank,
Perquimans
2	Beaufort, Hyde, Martin,	8
Tyrrell, Washington
3	Pitt	12
4	Carteret, Craven, Pamlico	13
5	Duplin, Jones, Onslow,	20
Sampson
6	New Hanover, Pender	20
7	Bertie, Halifax, Hertford,	11
Northampton
8	Edgecombe, Nash, Wilson	19
9	Greene, Lenoir, Wayne	15
10	Wake	42
11	Franklin, Granville, Person	15
Vance, Warren
12	Harnett, Lee	12
13	Johnston	11
14	Cumberland	25
15	Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus	15
16	Durham	18
17	Alamance	12
18	Orange, Chatham	10
20	Robeson	13
21	Anson, Richmond, Scotland	9
22	Caswell, Rockingham	9
23	Stokes, Surry	8
24	Guilford	35
25	Cabarrus	10
26	Mecklenburg	58
27	Rowan	9
29	Hoke, Moore	9
28	Montgomery, Stanly	6
30	Union	11
31	Forsyth	27
32	Alexander, Iredell	13
33	Davidson, Davie	12
34	Alleghany, Ashe, Wilkes,	9
Yadkin
35	Avery, Madison, Mitchell,	8
Watauga, Yancey
36	Burke, Caldwell	10
37	Randolph	10
38	Gaston	16
39	Cleveland,	13
Lincoln
40	Buncombe	14
41	McDowell, Rutherford	8
42	Henderson, Polk, Transylvania	9
43	Cherokee, Clay, Graham,	15
Haywood, Jackson, Macon,
Swain.
44	Catawba	10"
SECTION 4.(a)  There is appropriated to the Administrative Office of the Courts the sum of five hundred fifty‑three thousand nine hundred forty‑six dollars ($553,946) in recurring funds for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year and seven hundred fifty‑nine thousand thirty‑eight dollars ($759,038) in recurring funds for the 2022‑2023 fiscal year to be allocated as follows:
(1)	$247,515 in fiscal year 2021‑2022 and $424,310 in fiscal year 2022‑2023 for two district court judge positions.
(2)	$39,617 in fiscal year 2021‑2022 and $67,914 in fiscal year 2022‑2023 for one district court judicial assistant position.
(3)	$266,814 in each fiscal year of the 2021‑2023 fiscal biennium for two assistant district attorney positions.
SECTION 4.(b)  There is appropriated to the Administrative Office of the Courts the sum of thirty thousand nine hundred seventy dollars ($30,970) in nonrecurring funds for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year to be allocated as follows:
(1)	$20,030 for the two district court judge positions funded in subsection (a) of this section.
(2)	$3,436 for the one district court judicial assistant position funded in subsection (a) of this section.
(3)	$7,504 for the two assistant district attorney positions funded in subsection (a) of this section.
SECTION 5.  Sections 1 and 2 of this act become effective December 1, 2021, and apply to actions, proceedings, and hearings occurring on or after that date. Sections 3 and 4 of this act become effective July 1, 2021. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.