84R3475 CAE-F

By: Naishtat H.B. No. 1922

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a court administrator hired by a statutory probate court.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 25.0024, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 25.0024. COURT COORDINATORS, COURT ADMINISTRATORS [ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS], AND AUDITORS FOR STATUTORY PROBATE COURTS.

SECTION 2. Section 25.0024(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A judge of a statutory probate court shall hire with the approval of the commissioners court through the county budget process a court coordinator, a court administrator [an administrative assistant], and an auditor for the court.

SECTION 3. Section 25.1034(i), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(i) With the approval of the commissioners court, a judge of a statutory probate court may appoint a court administrator [an administrative assistant], a court coordinator, an auditor, and other staff necessary for the operation of the courts. The commissioners court, with the advice and counsel of the judges, sets the salaries of the staff.

SECTION 4. Section 25.2293(j), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(j) The judge of a statutory probate court may appoint a court administrator [an administrative assistant] and an auditor to aid the judge in the performance of his duties. The judge sets the salary of the court administrator [administrative assistant] and the salary of the auditor by an order entered in the minutes of the court. The appointments and the salaries may be changed only by order of the judge. The salaries of the auditor and the court administrator [administrative assistant] shall be paid monthly out of the county's general fund or any other fund available for that purpose.

SECTION 5. On the effective date of this Act a person serving as an administrative assistant in a statutory probate court continues service as a court administrator in the statutory probate court unless otherwise removed as provided by law.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.