BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1230

By: Farabee

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, a county with a population of less than 500,000 people is prohibited from paying its county auditors more than the salary of the highest paid county elected official.  In a county with over 500,000 people, the commissioners court is able to set the auditor's salary.  It is difficult for smaller counties to attract and retain qualified accountants with incentives such as high salaries. 

H.B. 1230 decreases the minimum population from 500,000 or more to 120,000 or more for one of the county brackets authorized to the amount of the compensation and allowances of a county auditor to an amount that exceeds the established limit.

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

H.B. 1230 reenacts and amends Section 152.032(d), Local Government Code, as amended by Chapters 401 (S.B. 833), 430 (S.B. 1630), and 1260 (H.B. 2917), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, to decrease the minimum population from 500,000 or more to 120,000 or more for one of the county brackets authorized to set the amount of the compensation and allowances of a county auditor to an amount that exceeds the established limit if the compensation and allowances are approved by the commissioners court of the county.  The bill provides that to the extent of any conflict, this bill prevails over another act of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.