By: Wentworth S.B. No. 821
 
 
 
   
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the use of certain excess contributions to the judicial
fund that are remitted to certain counties.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Subsection (b), Section 25.00213, Government
Code, is amended to read as follows:
       (b)  Money in a contributions fund created under this section
may be used only for court-related purposes for the support of the
statutory probate courts in the county, including for the payment
of the compensation of a statutory probate court associate judge in
accordance with Section 54.605.
       SECTION 2.  Section 54.605, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
follows:
       (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), the [The]
compensation of the associate judge shall be paid by the county from
the county general fund. The compensation must be paid in the same
manner that the appointing judge's salary is paid.
       (c)  On the recommendation of the statutory probate court
judges in the county and subject to the approval of the county
commissioners court, the county may pay all or part of the
compensation of the associate judge from the excess contributions
remitted to the county under Section 25.00212 and deposited in the
contributions fund created under Section 25.00213.
       SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately 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 immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2007.