(1) The following number of full-time legal assistants are authorized in the following circuit court districts:

(a) First Circuit Court District nine (9)

(b) Second Circuit Court District ten (10)

(c) Third Circuit Court District five (5)

(d) Fourth Circuit Court District six (6)

(e) Fifth Circuit Court District five (5)

(f) Sixth Circuit Court District two (2)

(g) Seventh Circuit Court District eleven (11)

(h) Eighth Circuit Court District three (3)

(i) Ninth Circuit Court District three (3)

(j) Tenth Circuit Court District four (4)

(k) Eleventh Circuit Court District five (5)

(l) Twelfth Circuit Court District five (5)

(m) Thirteenth Circuit Court District four (4)

(n) Fourteenth Circuit Court District five (5)

(o) Fifteenth Circuit Court District six (6)

(p) Sixteenth Circuit Court District. five (5)

(q) Seventeenth Circuit Court District seven (7)

(r) Eighteenth Circuit Court District two (2)

(s) Nineteenth Circuit Court District six (6)

(t) Twentieth Circuit Court District six (6)

(u) Twenty-first Circuit Court District three (3)

(v) Twenty-second Circuit Court District three (3)

(2) In addition to any legal assistants authorized pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the following number of full-time legal assistants are authorized (i) in the following circuit court districts if funds are appropriated by the Legislature to adequately fund the salaries, expenses and fringe benefits of such legal assistants, or (ii) in any of the following circuit court districts in which the board of supervisors of one or more of the counties in a circuit court district adopts a resolution to pay all of the salaries, supplemental pay, expenses and fringe benefits of legal assistants authorized in such district pursuant to this subsection:

(a) First Circuit Court District two (2)

(b) Second Circuit Court District two (2)

(c) Third Circuit Court District two (2)

(d) Fourth Circuit Court District two (2)

(e) Fifth Circuit Court District two (2)

(f) Sixth Circuit Court District two (2)

(g) Seventh Circuit Court District two (2)

(h) Eighth Circuit Court District two (2)

(i) Ninth Circuit Court District two (2)

(j) Tenth Circuit Court District two (2)

(k) Eleventh Circuit Court District two (2)

(l) Twelfth Circuit Court District two (2)

(m) Thirteenth Circuit Court District two (2)

(n) Fourteenth Circuit Court District two (2)

(o) Fifteenth Circuit Court District two (2)

(p) Sixteenth Circuit Court District two (2)

(q) Seventeenth Circuit Court District two (2)

(r) Eighteenth Circuit Court District two (2)

(s) Nineteenth Circuit Court District two (2)

(t) Twentieth Circuit Court District two (2)

(u) Twenty-first Circuit Court District two (2)

(v) Twenty-second Circuit Court District two (2)

(3) The board of supervisors of any county may pay all or a part of the salary, supplemental pay, expenses and fringe benefits of any district attorney or legal assistant authorized in the circuit court district to which such county belongs pursuant to this section.

(4) The district attorney of any circuit court district may employ additional legal assistants or criminal investigators, or both, without regard to any limitation on the number of legal assistants authorized in this section or criminal investigators authorized by other provisions of law to the extent that the district attorney’s office receives funds from any source. Any source shall include, but is not limited to, office generated funds, funds from a county, a combination of counties, a municipality, a combination of municipalities, federal funds, private grants or foundations, or by means of an Interlocal Cooperative Agreement authorized by Section 17-13-1 which may be expended for those positions in an amount sufficient to pay all of the salary, supplemental pay, expenses and fringe benefits of the positions. Such funds may either be paid out of district attorney accounts, transferred by the district attorney to the Department of Finance and Administration or to one or more of the separate counties comprising the circuit court district, and said funds shall be disbursed to such employees in the same manner as state-funded criminal investigators and full-time legal assistants. The district attorney shall report to the board of supervisors of each county comprising the circuit court district the amount and source of the supplemental salary, expenses and fringe benefits, and the board in each county shall spread the same on its minutes. The district attorney shall also report such information to the Department of Finance and Administration which shall make such information available to the Legislative Budget Office.

(5) The district attorney shall be authorized to assign the duties of a legal assistant regardless of the source of funding for such legal assistants.