(a) The Department of Administrative Services is authorized and directed to pay from the state treasury the sums specified in subsection (b) of this Code section as contingent expense and travel allowance to each duly appointed reporter for the superior courts in all judicial circuits of this state, such sum being in addition to the compensation of the superior court reporters provided by law.

(b) The amounts payable per month under this Code section to superior court reporters as contingent expense and travel allowance shall be as follows:

(1) For reporters of judicial circuits consisting of only one county...........................................$ 80.00

(2) For reporters of judicial circuits consisting of two counties.................................................. 140.00

(3) For reporters of judicial circuits consisting of three counties............................................ 200.00

(4) For reporters of judicial circuits consisting of four counties............................................. 260.00

(5) For reporters of judicial circuits consisting of five counties............................................. 320.00

(6) For reporters of judicial circuits consisting of six or more counties.......................................... 380.00

Any person who is a duly appointed reporter for the superior courts in more than one judicial circuit shall receive only one contingent expense and travel allowance, in the amount provided for the circuit consisting of the largest number of counties in which he or she is so appointed.

(c) The contingent expense and travel allowance provided by this Code section shall be paid from the appropriations made by the General Assembly for the cost of operating the superior courts. The duly appointed reporters are declared to be officers of the superior courts.

(d) Annually during the month of January the judge or chief judge of each judicial circuit shall certify to the Department of Administrative Services the names and addresses of all persons duly appointed as reporters for the superior courts in the judicial circuit and shall thereafter notify the department of the removal of such persons from office or the appointment of additional persons as superior court reporters, together with the effective date of such removal or appointment.

(e) All laws enacted before April 5, 1961, applicable to any circuit or counties of this state and governing the compensation of court reporters therein shall remain in full force and effect.