Amends GS 7A-52 to expand upon when an emergency judge may be assigned to also include instances of (1) medical leave absence of a sitting judge; (2) disaster declaration under GS 166A-19.3; (3) assignment by the Chief Justice of a Rule 2.1 exceptional case to an emergency judge; and (4) court coverage need created by holdover sessions, cases in which a judge has a conflict, judicial administrative responsibilities, or judicial educational responsibilities.