BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 871

By: Zaffirini

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law generally prohibits the amount of the county auditor's compensation and allowances 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 county auditors in certain counties, however, are authorized in statute. There is concern in certain counties, such as Caldwell County, that the present statutory restriction on the amount of the auditor's compensation will impede the ability of the county to attract a new, highly qualified certified public accountant with superior auditing skills. Stakeholders note that authorizing the county commissioners court of certain counties to set the auditor's compensation and allowances in an amount that exceeds the current statutory restriction would be beneficial. S.B. 871 seeks to address this concern.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

S.B. 871 amends the Local Government Code to remove the applicability of a provision authorizing the amount of the compensation and allowances of a county auditor in certain counties to be set in an amount that exceeds a specified limit if the compensation and allowances are approved by the commissioners court of the county to a county that has a population of more than 108,000 and less than 110,000 and that borders a county that employs an arena venue project manager hired as of March 7, 2001, and that has a population of less than 1.8 million in which a municipality with a population of more than one million is located. The bill instead applies that provision to a county that borders a county with a population of more than one million and that has a population of more than 36,000 and less than 40,000. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.