S.B. 1303 78 )    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 1303
By: Madla
County Affairs
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, county auditors serve a two-year term. A new auditor barely
learns the operations of county government and the related laws, when it
is time to reapply for the position.  Similarly, the current public notice
requirement for district judges setting auditor compensation is 15 days
prior to the compensation hearing. S.B. 1303 increases the term of a
county auditor to four years and requires a notice of the compensation
hearing to be published within a specific time frame. 

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 152.905(c), Local Government Code, to require a
notice of the 
hearing regarding compensation of a county auditor, assistant auditors and
court reporters to be 
published not earlier than the 30th or later than the 10th date before the
date of hearing. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 152.032, Local Government Code by adding
Subsection (d) and making a conforming change.  Subsection (d) allows the
amount of the compensation and 
allowances of a county auditor to be set in an amount that exceeds the
limit established in 
subsection (a) if the compensation and allowances are approved by the
commissioners court of 
the county.

SECTION 3.  Makes application of this Act prospective

SECTION 4. Effective date: July 1, 2003 or September 1, 2003.

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect July 1, 2003, 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. 


EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1 limits th application of Subsection (d) to
counties of 500,000 or more.