AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current law generally restricts compensation of a county auditor from exceeding the total compensation of the highest paid elected county officer, other than a judge of a statutory county court, whose salary and allowances are set by the commissioners court. Several exceptions to this general rule for certain counties, however, are authorized in statute.
The current Caldwell County auditor is retiring in early April, and Caldwell County officials are concerned that the present statutory restriction on the auditor's compensation will impede the ability of the county to attract a new, highly qualified certified public accountant with superior auditing skills. The officials, therefore, seek to amend the law to authorize the county commissioners court to set the compensation and allowances of the auditor in an amount that exceeds this restriction.
This legislation extends to Caldwell County the authorization for the county commissioners court to set the compensation and allowances of the county auditor in an amount that exceeds the limit otherwise established by statute, if the compensation and allowances are approved by the county commissioners court.
S.B. 871 amends current law relating to the compensation of county auditors for certain counties.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 152.032(d), Local Government Code, by providing that this subsection applies only to:
(1)-(3) Makes no changes to these subdivisions; and
(4) a county that borders a county with a population of more than one million and has a population of more than 36,000 and less than 40,000, rather than a county that borders a county subject to Subsection (b) (relating to the requirements which make Subsection (b) applicable) and that has a population of more than 108,000 and less than 110,000.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.