A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require the senior resident superior court judge to consult with the chief district court judge in the appointment of public defenders, as recommended by the conference of chief district court judges.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 7A‑498.7(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	For each new term, and to fill any vacancy, public defenders shall be appointed from a list of not less than two and not more than three names nominated by written ballot of the attorneys resident in the defender district who are licensed to practice law in North Carolina. The balloting shall be conducted pursuant to rules adopted by the Commission on Indigent Defense Services. The appointment shall be made by the senior resident superior court judge of the superior court district or set of districts as defined in G.S. 7A‑44.1 that includes the county or counties of the defender district for which the public defender is being  appointed after consultation with the chief district court judge of the district court district that includes the county or counties of the defender district."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to appointments of public defenders on or after that date.