SRC-VRA S.B. 1303 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1303
By: Madla
Intergovernmental Relations
5/1/2003
Committee Report (Amended)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, county auditors serve a two-year term.  A new auditor has
barely learned 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 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

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 84.004, Local Government Code, to make the term
of office of a county auditor four, rather than two, years.  

SECTION 2.  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, rather than on or before the 15th, day
before the date of the hearing. 

SECTION 3.  Repealer:  Section 152.032, Local Government Code (Limitations
on County Auditor's Compensation and Allowances). 

SECTION 4.  (a) and (b)  Make application of this Act prospective.  

SECTION 5.  Effective date:  July 1, 2003 or September 1, 2003.

LIST OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1:

Strike SECTION 1 of the bill and number the subsequent sections
appropriately. 

Strike SECTION 3 of the bill and replace with a new SECTION 3 to read as
follows: 

 SECTION 3.  Section 152.032, Local Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: 

 (a)  Except as provided by Subsections  [Subsection ](b) and (d), the
amount of the compensation and allowances of a county auditor may not
exceed the amount of the compensation and allowances received from all
sources by the highest paid elected county officer, other than a judge of
a statutory county court, whose salary and allowances are set by the
commissioners court. 

 (d)  Except as provided by subsection (b), the amount of the compensation
and allowances of a county auditor may 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.