C.S.H.B. 1681 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 1681
By: Stick
County Affairs
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 
Currently, a county auditor's salary is capped at the level of the highest
salary set by the commissioner's court for a non-judicial elected official
of the same county.  However, other nonelected positions in the county do
not have similar limitations to their compensation.  

As accounting rules and financial statutes continue to become more
complex, governments must be able to attract and retain highly qualified
and experienced financial professionals.  House Bill 1681 would allow the
district judges who appoint the county auditor, in certain larger
counties, to also set the annual salary of the position, thereby removing
the salary cap. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 152.032, Local Government Code, by amending
Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d), as follows: 

 (a)  Makes a conforming change.

(d)  This subsection applies only to a county with a population of more
than 800,000 that uses an automated system to enhance internal controls of
county finances through the use of automated edit checks of its automated
purchasing system and its comprehensive automated payroll system. The
amount of the compensation and allowances of a county auditor in a county
governed by this subsection shall be set as provided by Section 152.031
(County Auditor's Salary) and is not limited by the amount of compensation
and allowances received by any other county employee. 

SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of
two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by
Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not receive
the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September
1, 2003. 


EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2003.  

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
Amends Section 152.032, Local Government Code, by amending Subsection (a)
and adding Subsection (d) as well as adding (d)(a) and (d)(b).