SRC-TNM S.J.R. 20 75(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.J.R. 20
By: Brown
Finance
2-12-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law does not authorize the legislature to create a
judicial compensation committee. The 74th Legislature created the
Commission on Judicial Efficiency and charged the commission with
evaluating the judicial system in Texas and reporting back to the
legislature with recommendations to improve the efficiency of the system.
The report released by the commission included a recommendation to
establish a Judicial Compensation Committee which would be responsible for
making recommendations to the legislature regarding judicial salaries.
The recommendations made by the commission would be binding unless
rejected by either house of the legislature.  S.J.R. authorizes the
legislature to create a judicial compensation committee to make current
law more comprehensive. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.J.R. 20 requires the submission to the voters of a
constitutional amendment regarding the creation of a judicial compensation
commission. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article V, Texas Constitution, by adding Section 32, as
follows: 

Sec. 32. (a) Authorizes the legislature, by law, to create a judicial
compensation commission to make recommendations for judicial salaries that
become law if neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives, by
majority vote, rejects the recommendations, notwithstanding any other
provisions of this constitution.   

(b) Provides that Subsection (a) of this section applies only to salaries
for justices and judges of the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal
Appeals, the Courts of Appeal, and the District Courts. 

SECTION 2. Requires this proposed constitutional amendment to be submitted
to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 1997.  Sets forth the
required language for the ballot.