By Berman                                              H.B. No. 383
         77R28 SMJ-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to requiring voter approval of salary increases for county
 1-3     commissioners.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 152.013(a), Local Government Code, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  Each year the commissioners court shall set the salary,
 1-8     expenses, and other allowances of elected county or precinct
 1-9     officers, subject to Section 152.0131.  The commissioners court
1-10     shall set the items at a regular meeting of the court during the
1-11     regular budget hearing and adoption proceedings.
1-12           SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 152, Local Government Code,
1-13     is amended by adding Section 152.0131 to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 152.0131.  ELECTION TO APPROVE SALARY INCREASE FOR
1-15     COUNTY COMMISSIONER. (a)  A salary increase granted to a county
1-16     commissioner may not take effect until the increase is approved by
1-17     a majority of the voters of the county who vote on the proposition
1-18     at an election held for that purpose.
1-19           (b)  The county shall hold an election under this section on
1-20     the first authorized uniform election date under Chapter 41,
1-21     Election Code, that occurs after the commissioners court grants the
1-22     salary increase and that allows sufficient time to comply with the
1-23     other requirements of law.
1-24           (c)  The ballot for the election shall be printed to permit
 2-1     voting for or against the proposition:  "Adoption of the proposed
 2-2     salary of _________________, which includes an increase of  _______
 2-3     percent of the current salary, for the county commissioner
 2-4     representing commissioner precinct ___________________."  The
 2-5     proposed salary, the percentage increase that it includes, and the
 2-6     number of the applicable precinct shall be inserted into the
 2-7     applicable blank spaces.
 2-8           (d)  Subject to Subsection (e), a salary increase for a
 2-9     county commissioner that is approved by voters at an election under
2-10     this section takes effect at the beginning of the second full pay
2-11     period that begins after the date of the election.
2-12           (e)  This section does not apply to a salary increase for a
2-13     county commissioner that is recommended and signed by nine members
2-14     of a salary grievance committee in accordance with Section
2-15     152.016(c).
2-16           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-17     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-18     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-19     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-20     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.