baa H.J.R. 49 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


JUDICIAL AFFAIRS
H.J.R. 49
By: Thompson
2-26-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

 The Commission on Judicial Efficiency, created by the Texas Legislature
in 1995, studied several areas related to improving the Texas judiciary.
Among the subjects studied by the commission was the issue of judicial
compensation.  The Commission found that the compensation of judges in
Texas lagged behind those of judges in other states, the federal judiciary
and salaries in the private sector.  The commission recommended the
establishment of a judicial compensation commission, which would be an
independent body charged exclusively with the responsibility of setting
judicial wages and that the recommendations be binding if not rejected by
either house of the legislature in a specified time. 


PURPOSE

 The purpose of this proposed constitutional amendment is to allow the
legislature to create a judicial compensation commission which could make
binding recommendations on judicial salaries, unless those recommendations
are rejected by either house of the legislature. 


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 adds a new Section 32 to Article V of the Texas Constitution.
It authorizes  the Legislature to create a judicial compensation
commission to make binding recommendations on judicial salaries, unless
those recommendations are rejected by either house of the legislature. 

 SECTION  2.  Ballot date.  Ballot wording.