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A.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, whenever by reason of the enforcement or imposition of any federal law or rule or for any other reason, an off-duty municipal law enforcement officer is compensated by his governmental employer for an appearance in court in his official capacity as a witness in any criminal case or delinquency adjudication in any city or district court during any time he would not otherwise be required to report to work or perform the duties of his office, then the officer of the court responsible for the disposition of any witness or appearance fee provided in law to compensate or reimburse for the cost of such officer’s appearance shall pay the fee to the fiscal officer or other person designated by the officer’s governmental employer to receive revenues on behalf of the governmental body.

B.  The governmental employer may retain such portion of the appearance fee as is necessary to reimburse it for salary, benefits, and other expenses it expends in making its employee available for the appearance.  If the witness or appearance fee exceeds the amount the employer is required to pay in salary, benefits, and expenses for such appearance, the employer shall transmit the difference to the officer who made the appearance.  In no case, however, shall the officer receive less than he would have been compensated if he had received the fee directly.

Acts 1997, No. 918, §1; Acts 1999, No. 552, §1.