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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to compensation paid to certain judges and justices. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Section 26.006, Government Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(b) To receive a supplement under Subsection (a), a county |
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judge must file with the comptroller's judiciary section [Office of
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Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System] an affidavit |
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stating that at least 40 percent of the functions that the judge |
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performs are judicial functions. [The office of court
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administration shall send the affidavit to the comptroller.] |
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SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 659.0125, Government |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Notwithstanding Section 659.012 or any other law, a |
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district judge who presides over multidistrict litigation |
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involving claims for asbestos-related or silica-related injuries |
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is entitled to receive, in addition to all other compensation, |
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expenses, and perquisites authorized by law, the maximum amount of |
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compensation set by the Texas Judicial Council for a presiding |
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judge under Section 74.051(b). The annual amount must be |
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apportioned over 12 equal monthly payments and be paid to the judge |
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by the comptroller's judiciary section [Texas Judicial Council] for |
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each month during which the judge retains jurisdiction over the |
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claims. |
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SECTION 3. Section 659.0445, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read |
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as follows: |
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(b) The monthly amount of longevity pay under this section |
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to which a judge or justice described by Subsection (a) is entitled: |
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(1) is equal to .031 multiplied by the amount of the |
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judge's or justice's gross monthly salary earned during the month in |
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which the judge or justice completes 16 years of service for which |
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credit is established in the applicable retirement system [$20 for
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each year of service credited in the applicable retirement system,
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subject to Subsection (c)]; and |
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(2) [is calculated and] becomes payable beginning with |
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the month following the month in which the judge or justice |
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completes 16 years of service for which credit is established in the |
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applicable retirement system. |
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(d) The commissioners court of a county may provide |
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longevity pay calculated in accordance with this section to a judge |
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or justice described by Subsection (a) who: |
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(1) previously served as a statutory county court |
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judge in the county; |
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(2) is not otherwise eligible for longevity pay under |
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Subsection (b); and |
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(3) would be entitled to longevity pay under this |
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section if the service credit the judge or justice earned as a |
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statutory county court judge was established in the applicable |
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retirement system. |
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(e) Notwithstanding any other law, longevity pay that is |
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paid to a judge or justice under this section is not included as |
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part of the judge's or justice's combined salary from state and |
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county sources for purposes of the salary limitations provided by |
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Section 659.012. |
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SECTION 4. Section 659.0445(c), Government Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply to |
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longevity pay payable to a judge or justice after the effective date |
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of this Act, regardless of the date the judge or justice first |
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becomes entitled to longevity pay. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |