BWH H.B. 2083 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS COUNTY AFFAIRS H.B. 2083 By: Hilderbran 3-26-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, two or more counties may choose to jointly employ and compensate one county auditor. In such a situation, each county involved must have a population of less than 25,000 people. The decision to employ a joint county auditor must be made by the commissioners courts of each county. Employing a joint county auditor saves each county money, emphasizes cooperation between counties, and creates uniform budgetary standards within judicial districts. For example, Burnet and Llano Counties employ one county auditor, as do Kerr and Bandera Counties. These counties, however, are growing at such a rate that one of the counties may soon surpass 25,000 residents. Removing the 25,000 person population limit will allow two or more counties that can be adequately served by one auditor to continue to do so, despite growth in the population of one or both of the counties. The decision still rests with the commissioners courts of each county to determine whether employing a joint county auditor is feasible. PURPOSE The purpose of this legislation is to remove the population limit on counties that decide to jointly employ and compensate a county auditor. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 84.008(a) of the Local Government Code by: 1) Providing the this section does not apply to an auditor appointed in a county with a population of two million or more; and 2) Removes the requirement that counties who employ a joint auditor each have a population of less than 25,000 people. SECTION 2. Emergency clause.