A. There is created in the state treasury the "language access fund" to be administered by the administrative office of the courts.

B. All balances in the language access fund may be expended only upon appropriation by the legislature to the administrative office of the courts for the purpose of paying the costs of:

(1) court interpreters;

(2) operating and staffing the New Mexico center for language access to accomplish its mission to provide and support programs that will help the courts obtain, improve or increase the availability of language access services;

(3) operating and staffing language access services for the administrative office of the courts;

(4) training for the purpose of enhancing language access services in the courts; and

(5) additional activities deemed necessary by the director of the administrative office of the courts to meet constitutional and statutory requirements for language access services in the courts and for court-related activities.

C. All fees and other revenue collected by the New Mexico center for language access and interest earned on money in the language access fund shall be credited to the fund. Payments shall be made upon certification by judicial agencies of eligible amounts. No part of the fund shall revert at the end of any fiscal year.

D. Payments from the language access fund shall be made upon vouchers issued and signed by the director of the administrative office of the courts or the director's designee upon warrants drawn by the secretary of finance and administration.

History: Laws 2017, ch. 74, § 1.

Effective dates. — Laws 2017, ch. 74 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 16, 2017, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.