(a) There is created in the First Judicial District an additional circuit judgeship which shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, and probate.
(b) As soon as possible after July 30, 1999, the Governor shall appoint a qualified person to temporarily fill the First Judicial District circuit judgeship created by subsection (a) of this section, and the appointed person shall serve until December 31, 2000, or until a successor has been elected and qualified, whichever occurs last.
(c)
(1) The qualified electors of the district shall elect the additional circuit judge created by this section at the November 2000 general election to take office on January 1, 2001.
(2) The additional judge shall be elected from the district and shall satisfy the same qualifications for holding office and shall receive the same salary, expenses, and other allowances as provided by law for judges of the circuit courts.
(3) The judge shall serve for elected terms of four (4) years.
(d) The counties which compose the First Judicial District shall provide courtroom and office facilities and supplies for the judge of the circuit judgeship created by this section, which shall be paid out of the county treasuries in the same manner as other demands against the counties, out of funds appropriated by the respective quorum courts of the counties for such purposes.
(e) There shall be provided for the judge of the circuit judgeship created by this section a court reporter and a trial court administrative assistant whose salaries shall be fixed and paid in the manner provided by law for court reporters and trial court administrative assistants of the circuit courts of this state.
(f) The Attorney General shall, if it is determined to be necessary, present the provisions of this section to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas pursuant to the decision in Eugene Hunt, et al. v. State of Arkansas et al., No. PB-C-89-406.