§ 849-h. Establishment and administration of program. 1. There is hereby established a justice court assistance program (hereinafter referred to in this article as the "program"), to be administered and supervised under the direction of the chief administrator of the courts, to provide funds pursuant to this article to assist the operation of town and village justice courts. The chief administrator shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this article, including provisions for periodic monitoring and evaluation of the program. Each town or village receiving funds pursuant to this article shall comply with all such rules and regulations and with all provisions of this article.

2. Funds available pursuant to this article may be used for any purpose having as its end enhancement of the justice courts' ability to provide suitable and sufficient services to their respective communities. These purposes may include, but shall not be limited to, automation of court operations; improvement or expansion of court facilities; provision of appropriate means for the recording of court proceedings; provision of lawbooks, treatises and related materials; and provision of appropriate training for justices and for nonjudicial court staff. Except as may otherwise be provided by rule of the chief administrator, funds available pursuant to this article shall not be used to compensate justices and nonjudicial court staff, nor shall they be used as a means of reducing funding provided by a town or village to its justice court.