BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                    C.S.H.B. 1686

                                                                                                                                         By: Oliveira

                                                                                                                                              Judiciary

                                                                                                        Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

As was indicated in the state of the judiciary address by Texas Supreme Court Justice Wallace Jefferson, Texas judges are underpaid. given the intense workload and caseload of presiding judges, a pay raise is necessary to adequately compensate them for their efforts.

 

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 increases maximum presiding judge salary under Section 74.051(b) of the Government Code to $33,000 from $23,000.  The bill also amends Section 74.051(c)  to increase the annual salaries of presiding judges in several categories depending on the size of administrative regions by $10,000 in each category.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2005

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

 

The substitute corrects the effective date to 2005 from the original which has an effective date of September 1, 2003.