110 STAT. 3852 PUBLIC LAW 104-317—OCT. 19, 1996 SEC. 303. BANKRUPTCY JUDGES REAPPOINTMENT PROCEDURE. Section 120 of the Bankruptcy Amendments and Federal Judge- 28 USC 152 note, ship Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-353; 98 Stat. 344), is amended— (1) in subsection (a) by adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph: "(3) When filling vacancies, the court of appeals may consider reappointing incumbent bankruptcy judges under procedures prescribed by regulations issued by the Judicial Conference of the United States.; and (2) in subsection (b) by adding at the end thereof the following: "All incumbent nominees seeking reappointment thereafter may be considered for such a reappointment, pursuant to a majority vote of the judges of the appointing court of appeals, under procedures authorized under subsection (a)(3).^ SEC. 304. TECHNICAL CORRECTION RELATED TO COMMENCEMENT DATE OF TEMPORARY JUDGESHIPS. Section 203(c) of the Judicial Improvements Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-650; 104 Stat. 5101; 28 U.S.C. 133 note) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following: "For districts named in this subsection for which multiple judgeships are created by this Act, the last of those judgeships filled shall be the judgeship created under this subsection.". SEC. 305. FULL-TIME STATUS OF COURT REPORTERS. Section 753(e) of title 28, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the first sentence the following: "For the purposes of subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5 and chapter 84 of such title, a reporter shall be considered a full-time employee during any pay period for which a reporter receives a salary at the annual salary rate fixed for a full-time reporter under the preceding sentence.". SEC. 306. COURT INTERPRETERS. Section 1827 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: "(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or section 1828, the presiding judicial officer may appoint a certified or otherwise qualified sign language interpreter to provide services to a party, witness, or other participant in a judicial proceeding, whether or not the proceeding is instituted by the United States, if the presiding judicial officer determines, on such officer's own motion or on the motion of a party or other participant in the proceeding, that such individual suffers from a hearing impairment. The presiding judicial officer shall, subject to the availability of appropriated funds, approve the compensation and expenses pay- able to sign language interpreters appointed under this section in accordance with the schedule of fees prescribed by the Director under subsection (b)(3) of this section.", SEC. 307. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT RELATED TO COMMENCEMENT DATE OF TEMPORARY BANKRUPTCY JUDGESHIPS. Section 3(b) of the Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-361; 106 Stat. 965; 28 U.S.C. 152 note) is amended in the first sentence by striking out "date of the enactment of this Act" and inserting in lieu thereof "appointment date of the judge named to fill the temporary judgeship position".
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