S.B. No. 1303




AN ACT

relating to certain employment matters affecting a county auditor, 
assistant auditor, court reporter, or sheriff department 
personnel.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subsection (c), Section 152.905, Local 
Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(c)  Not earlier than the 30th or later than the 10th [On or 
before the 15th] day before the date of the hearing, notice of the 
time, place, and subject of the hearing must be published in a 
newspaper of general circulation in the county.
	SECTION 2.  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), in a county with a 
population of 500,000 or more 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.
	SECTION 3.  Section 152.071, Local Government Code, is 
amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
	(a-1)  A county government in a county that has a population 
of more than 7,500, is located on an international boundary, and 
contains no incorporated territory of a municipality may classify 
all positions in its sheriff's department and may specify the 
duties and prescribe the salary for each classification.
	SECTION 4.  Section 152.072, Local Government Code, is 
amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
	(a-1)  The qualified voters of a county that has a population 
of more than 7,500, is located on an international boundary, and 
contains no incorporated territory of a municipality may petition 
the commissioners court of the county to increase the minimum 
salary of each member of the sheriff's department.
	SECTION 5.  Section 152.074, Local Government Code, is 
amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to 
read as follows:
	(a)  In a county with a population of 150,000 or more, the 
commissioners court of a county shall provide longevity pay for 
each commissioned deputy of the sheriff's department of not less 
than $5 a month for each year of service in the department, up to and 
including 25 years.  Each commissioned deputy is entitled to the 
longevity pay in addition to the deputy's regular compensation.
	(a-1)  A county government in a county that has a population 
of more than 7,500, is located on an international boundary, and 
contains no incorporated territory of a municipality may provide 
longevity pay for each commissioned deputy of the sheriff's 
department of not less than $5 a month for each year of service in 
the department, up to and including 25 years.  If longevity pay is 
provided for, each commissioned deputy is entitled to the longevity 
pay in addition to the deputy's regular compensation.
	SECTION 6.  The change in law made by this Act to Subsection 
(c), Section 152.905, Local Government Code, applies only to a 
hearing that is held on or after the effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 7.  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 effect on that 
date, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.

                                                                              




______________________________    ______________________________
President of the Senate             Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1303 passed the Senate on 
May 8, 2003, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0; May 31, 2003, 
Senate refused to concur in House amendments and requested 
appointment of Conference Committee; May 31, 2003, House granted 
request of the Senate; June 1, 2003, Senate adopted Conference 
Committee Report by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.




______________________________ 
   Secretary of the Senate             
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1303 passed the House, with 
amendments, on May 28, 2003, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, 
Nays 1, two present not voting; May 31, 2003, House granted request 
of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee; 
June 1, 2003, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the 
following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 0, two present not voting.




______________________________ 
   Chief Clerk of the House            



Approved:


______________________________ 
           Date



______________________________ 
          Governor