It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 8-4.1-1, 8-4.1-2, 8-4.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-4.1 entitled "Court Clerks Incentive Pay" are hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 8-4.1-1. Incentive pay plan. -- ADD} There is hereby established an incentive pay program in accordance with the provisions of this chapter offering financial compensation to clerks of the supreme, superior, family, and district courts and administrators of the workers' compensation commission for furthering their education in the field of court administration or law enforcement. {ADD This incentive program shall apply to clerks who hold this position on the effective date of this act, and shall not apply to any person hired as a clerk after the effective date of this act. ADD}

{ADD 8-4.1-2. Eligibility for plan. -- ADD} Any full time clerk of the supreme, superior, family, or district court or administrators of the workers' compensation commission shall be eligible for the plan established by this chapter provided he {ADD or she ADD}

{ADD (a) ADD} {DEL accumulates DEL} {ADD has, on or before the effective date of this act, acquired ADD} the requisite degree as set forth in section 8-4.1-3 {ADD ; or ADD}

{ADD (b) has, on or before the effective date of this act, accumulated at least fifty percent (50%) of the credits necessary to receive either degree as set forth in section 8-4.1-3 and thereafter receives that degree; or

(c) is, on the effective date of this act, enrolled in a degree program, completion of which will entitle him or her to either degree as set forth in section 8-4.1-3, and thereafter receives that degree. ADD}

{ADD The clerk within thirty (30) days after passage of this act, must submit to the court administrator a certified copy of a transcript from a college or university as evidence of such credits. Provided, however, notwithstanding any general or public law to the contrary, incentive payments shall not be continued to any person in the future when such person no longer holds a clerk position as set forth in this section. Additionally no clerk hired after the date of passage of this act shall be eligible to receive incentive payments under the provisions of this chapter. ADD}

{ADD 8-4.1-3. Incentive steps. -- ADD} Advancement to each of the incentive salary steps shall be based on the following accomplishments in either administration of justice or law enforcement, or a baccalaureate degree acceptable for admission to a law school accredited by the council of Legal Education of the American Bar Association.

SECTION 2. Chapter 8-4.1 of the general laws entitled "Court Clerks Incentive Program" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

{ADD 8-4.1-7. Effective date. -- ADD} {ADD (A) This act shall not take effect for any existing court clerks or administrators presently receiving an incentive pay under chapter 8-4.1 until the expiration of any collective bargaining agreement in existence on the date of passage of this section. However, upon the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement which is in effect at the time of passage of this act, this act shall apply to all existing clerks receiving an incentive under chapter 8-4.1. ADD}

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.