BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4736

By: Israel

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that longevity pay for sitting judges may encourage experienced judges to continue to serve. Travis County offers longevity pay bonus to its employees starting after their fourth year of employment with the county. However, state statute unique to Travis County creates a salary cap for county court at law judges, prohibiting them from receiving longevity pay on the same basis as other county employees.

H.B. 4736 seeks to addresses this by setting the salary of a county court-at-law judge in Travis County at exactly $1,000 less than that of a district judge. Additionally, it seeks to clarify that “salary” does not include longevity pay, whether calculated like a state district judge’s or a county employee’s of comparable years of experience.

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

H.B. 4736 would amend the Government Code to require a Travis County court at law judge to

receive longevity pay from the county if the judge has completed four years of service as an

active judge and provides that the longevity pay would be equal to the greater of the amount of

longevity pay paid to a Travis County district judge with comparable years of service or paid to a

Travis County employee with comparable years of service.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019 or effective immediately if receiving a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house.