It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 9-9-5 and 9-9-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 9-9 entitled "Jury Lists" are hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 9-9-5. Jury commissioner -- Term -- Appointment and removal. -- ADD} {DEL The governor, with the consent of a majority of the justices of the superior court, shall appoint a jury commissioner as hereinafter provided who shall be a qualified elector of the state. The vote of the majority of the justices of said court attested by the presiding justice shall be necessary for an appointment or removal under this chapter. In the month of January A.D. 1957, and in the month of January triennially thereafter, the governor, with the consent of a majority of said justices, shall appoint a jury commissioner to hold office until the first day of February in the third year after his appointment. Said jury commissioner shall hold his office for the term for which he is appointed and until his successor is appointed and qualified; provided, however, that said officer may be removed at any time by vote of said justices upon charges preferred by the presiding justice of said court, and after hearing thereon and upon such removal, the governor with the consent of a majority of said justices may appoint another jury commissioner for the unexpired term of the one so removed. DEL}

{ADD Whenever a vacancy occurs in the position, whether by expiration of the term of office or otherwise, the presiding justice of the superior court, with the concurrence of a majority of the justices of said court, shall have the power to appoint a jury commissioner who shall be a qualified elector of the state, and who shall serve at the pleasure of the presiding justice and a majority of the justices of the superior court. The jury commissioner's salary shall be determined and set by the unclassified pay plan board and she/he shall be entitled to the same longevity salary increases as though she/he was in the classified service. ADD}

{ADD 9-9-6. Vacancies in office of jury commissioner. -- ADD} {DEL Whenever the jury commissioner shall die, resign, or be unable to serve, the governor with the consent of a majority of justices of said court shall fill the vacancy so created by the appointment of some other person for the remainder of the unexpired term, and in case of such vacancy, the presiding justice of said court may authorize the associate jury commissioner to perform the duties of the jury commissioner until such vacancy is filled by the appointment of some person thereto by said justices. DEL}

{ADD Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of jury commissioner, the presiding justice of the superior court, with the concurrence of a majority of the justices of said court, shall appoint a jury commissioner. The person so appointed shall hold office at the pleasure of the presiding justice and the majority of the justices of said court. The salary of the jury commissioner so appointed shall be determined and set by the unclassified pay plan board and she/he shall be entitled to the same longevity salary increases as though she/he was in the classified service. ADD}

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.