(a) On and after January 1, 1990, the state shall reimburse each small county which is not an option county under the Brown-Presley Trial Court Funding Act (Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 77000) of this title), for the cost of salary and per diem for any substitute judge assigned to replace a judge disqualified from acting as a judge while there is pending a recommendation to the Supreme Court by the Commission on Judicial Performance for removal or retirement of the judge pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 18 of Article VI of the California Constitution, beginning with the salary and per diem for the seventh month following the disqualification.
(b) For purposes of this section, a “small county” is one which has a total of nine or fewer superior court judges.
(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 784, Sec. 214. Effective January 1, 2003.)