BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                             H.B. 780

                                                                                                                                              By: Solis

                                                                                                                                              Judiciary

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

The district court judges serving Cameron County perform a significant amount of additional administrative duties and are not adequately compensated for their increased workloads.  Meanwhile, the legislature limits the salaries of district court judges to $2,000 less than that of a supreme court justice and $1,000 less than that of an associate justice of a court of appeals.

 

The salary cap set by the legislature does not allow for salary increases commensurate with additional administrative duties performed by the Cameron County district court judges. Furthermore, the rapid regional population growth compounds the strain on the Cameron County judicial system. Therefore, the Cameron County Commissioner's Court seeks a waiver of salary cap on district judges.

 

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

 

The bill amends the Government Code to state that notwithstanding Section 659.012, the Cameron County Commissioner's Court may set the annual salary for the district judges of the county. Cameron County shall pay the salary in equal installments from the county general or officers' fund.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2005.