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.