It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 8-15-5, 8-15-6 and 8-15-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-15 entitled "Court Administrator" are hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 8-15-5. Advisory board. -- ADD} The chief justice {DEL may, in his or her discretion, DEL} {ADD shall ADD} appoint an advisory board to consult with him or her on administrative matters. The board shall include {ADD the four (4) associate justices of the supreme court, ADD} the presiding justice of the superior court, the chief judge of the family court, the chief judge of the district court, the chief judge of the workers' compensation court, {ADD and ADD} the chief judge of the administrative adjudication {ADD court. ADD} {DEL and any other judges designated by the chief justice. DEL}

{ADD 8-15-6. Internal administration of courts not affected. -- ADD} The presiding judge of the superior court, the chief judge of the family court, {DEL and DEL} the chief judge of the district court {ADD , the chief judge of the workers' compensation court and the chief judge of the administrative adjudication court ADD} shall have the power to administer the affairs of their respective courts; to establish calendars and to assign judges to said calendars; to appoint administrative and clerical personnel for their courts; {ADD to act as authorized agent for their court; ADD} and to make rules for the conduct of their business, not inconsistent with the rules promulgated for said courts pursuant to section 8-6-2. {ADD In addition, each respective court shall prepare an annual budget for their court which will be submitted to the court administrator for the purposes of section 8-15-4(b). ADD}

{ADD 8-15-9. Supervision of court-imposed and court-related costs, fines, restitution and other payments, deposits and receipts. -- ADD} Within the administrative office of the state courts, there shall be a finance section. The director of the finance section shall be appointed by {DEL and serve at the pleasure of DEL} the chief justice of the supreme court {DEL . DEL} {ADD , and approved by a majority vote of the advisory board. ADD} The director of the finance section shall monitor the handling, collection, receipt, and disbursement of all court-imposed or court-related fees, fines, costs, assessments, charges, and other monetary payments, deposits and receipts, including, but not limited to, filing fees, court costs and fees, bail, fines, judgments, awards, restitution payments, registry of court accounts, restricted receipts accounts, child support and other support orders, and court stenographers' accounts. Said director shall be responsible for all bookkeeping and accounting of monies collected or received by the clerks of the various state courts including, but not limited to, sections 8-4-8, 8-8-16, 8-8-17, and 8-10-10 of the Rhode Island general laws. Said director shall formulate and publish a policy which shall standardize the procedures for the handling, collection, receipt, and disbursement of court-imposed or court-related monetary payments, deposits, and receipts. {ADD All monies subject to the provisions of this section shall be audited by the state bureau of audits or their designee not less than once per fiscal year. ADD}

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.