BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1164
80R7739 KFF-D By: Estes
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, district judges set the salary for court reporters, which becomes a part of the county budget. However, commissioners courts, not district courts, are responsible for the county budget and may be held accountable to voters for the tax rate in relation to that budget.
As proposed, S.B. 1164 authorizes the commissioners court of a county to set the salaries for court reporters in district courts, provided the judicial district is composed of only that county.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 52.051, Government Code, by amending Subsections (a) through (c) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:
(a) Requires an official district court reporter (reporter) to be paid a salary set by the order of the judge of the court, except as provided by Subsection (a-1).
(a-1) Requires the salary of a reporter in a judicial district composed of a single county to be set by the commissioners court of that county. Provides that this salary is in addition to certain fees and necessary expenses authorized by law.
(b) Prohibits the salary of a reporter from being lower than the salary that reporter received on January 1, 1972. Deletes existing text provided for said salary to be set by the judge. Makes a conforming change.
(c) Requires an order of a judge authorized by Subsection (a) that increases a reporter's salary to be submitted to the commissioners court of each county in the judicial district not later than September 1 immediately before the adoption of the county budget for the next year.
SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.