system and develop and begin to implement a comprehensive criminal justice
reform plan (hereinafter referred to as "plan") to minimize the delay,
postponement, and dismissal problems in the Eighth Judicial Circuit.

(2) In developing the plan, the Chief Judge and the stakeholders,
working cooperatively such that all major criminal justice agencies are fully
represented and have a voice in strategic planning and decision-making,
should at a minimum consider operating night courts, giving the State's
Attorney final approval of charges, trying appeals to the Circuit Court on the
District Court record, reducing vertical representation practices by the
Public Defender and the State's Attorney, providing Public Defender
representation at arraignment and bail hearings to defendants eligible for
representation by the Office of the Public Defender at the Central Booking
and Intake Facility, eliminating remote booking, asking Baltimore City to
increase the budget of the State's Attorneys' Office, ensuring Baltimore City
police officers attend all trials for which they are called, expediting violation
of probation hearings, establishing work crews for probation and parole
violators, establishing or enhancing warrant squads that target probation
and parole violators, developing consensus charging guidelines in drug
cases, and improving information technology and management practices.
The Chief Judge, with the full cooperation from the stakeholders, should
further consider including performance measures and a time frame for
implementation and results. The plan should also identify the person
responsible for each element of the plan.

(3) The Chief Judge, with the full cooperation from the
stakeholders, should submit the plan by October 1, 1999, to the budget
committees, the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, and the House
Judiciary Committee for review and comment. The budget committees, the
Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee
shall have 45 days from the receipt of the plan for review and comment.

(4) The plan shall include provisions for monitoring
implementation by the Chief Judge and for quarterly status reports
beginning January 1, 2000, to the budget committees, the Senate Judicial
Proceedings Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee. The plan shall
include performance measures and a time frame for implementation and
results. The plan shall also identify the person responsible for each element of
the plan.

SECTION 36. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That:

(1) To recognize savings resulting from reductions in the cost of desktop
microcomputer equipment due to advances in the information technology industry,
funds appropriated in this budget for microcomputers shall be reduced as provided in
this section.