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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the selection, duties, and compensation of a presiding |
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criminal judge in Travis County. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.2292(f), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(f) The judge of a county court at law shall be paid an |
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annual salary that is at least equal to the salary paid district |
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judges from the general revenue fund of the state, but not more than |
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$1,000 less than the annual salary, including supplements, received |
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by district judges in the county. For purposes of determining the |
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annual salary of a judge of a county court at law under this |
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section, the total annual salary received by a district judge in the |
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county does not include compensation paid to the presiding criminal |
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judge of Travis County under Section 75.016. |
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SECTION 2. Section 25.2293, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (m) to read as follows: |
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(m) For purposes of determining the annual salary of a judge |
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of a statutory probate court as provided by Section 25.0023, the |
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total annual salary received by a district judge in the county does |
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not include compensation paid to the presiding criminal judge of |
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Travis County under Section 75.016. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 75, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 75.016 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 75.016. PRESIDING CRIMINAL JUDGE OF TRAVIS COUNTY. |
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(a) The judges of the Travis County district courts that give |
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preference to criminal cases shall elect from among those judges a |
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presiding criminal judge for the county for a two-year term |
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expiring September 30 of each odd-numbered year. |
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(b) The presiding criminal judge, with respect to the Travis |
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County district courts that give preference to criminal cases, |
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shall: |
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(1) preside at all meetings of the criminal judges, |
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except when absent, in which case any other of those judges may |
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preside; |
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(2) implement and execute the local district court |
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rules of administration for those courts, including assigning all |
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capital murder cases to the proper court on a rotating basis; |
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(3) appoint any special or standing committees |
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necessary or desirable for the administration of those courts; |
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(4) address administrative issues on an emergency |
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basis for the criminal courts, provided that the presiding criminal |
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judge's decisions regarding those issues may be reviewed at the |
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next meeting of the judges of those courts; |
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(5) supervise the budget and fiscal matters of the |
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criminal courts; |
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(6) monitor and serve as liaison regarding any |
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legislation amending the Penal Code or Code of Criminal Procedure |
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and any other legislation affecting the business of those courts; |
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and |
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(7) serve as a liaison to the commissioners court of |
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the county and appear before the commissioners court as necessary. |
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(c) The Commissioners Court of Travis County may set |
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additional compensation to be paid to the presiding criminal judge |
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by the county in any amount that does not exceed the amount the |
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local administrative district judge of Travis County receives from |
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this state. Notwithstanding any other law, compensation paid the |
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presiding criminal judge under this subsection is not included as |
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part of the judge's combined salary from state and county sources |
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for purposes of the salary limitations provided by Section 659.012. |
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SECTION 4. The judges of the Travis County district courts |
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that give preference to criminal cases shall elect the presiding |
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criminal judge as required by Section 75.016, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, for a term beginning October 1, 2009. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |