BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 2215

By: Perry

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that the 1st Multicounty Court at Law covers Fisher, Mitchell, and Nolan Counties and that its establishment was intended to alleviate the burden of county caseloads and provide for the sharing of costs associated with the operation of a county court at law. Concerns have been raised, however, regarding the payment of the costs of the court and the uncertainty of each county's role in paying those costs. S.B. 2215 seeks to address these concerns by requiring the counties to enter into an interlocal agreement allocating the financial obligations of each county in relation to the 1st Multicounty Court at Law and the budget, powers, and duties of the court and salaries of court personnel.

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. 2215 amends the Government Code to require Fisher, Mitchell, and Nolan Counties to enter into an interlocal agreement allocating the financial obligations of each county in relation to the 1st Multicounty Court at Law and the budget, powers, and duties of the court and salaries of court personnel. The bill requires each such county, if the counties are unable to reach an agreement before the first day of one of their fiscal years, to pay to the court's administrative county a share of the court's administrative and operational costs for the fiscal year based on the proportion of the court's caseload originating in the county during the preceding year. The bill entitles a county to applicable compensation from the state in proportion to such paid amount.

S.B. 2215 replaces the entitlement of the official court reporter and the court administrator of the 1st Multicounty Court at Law to receive the same salary and to be paid in the same manner as the official court reporter and court administrator, respectively, of the district court in the administrative county for the court with an entitlement for the official court reporter and the court administrator of the 1st Multicounty Court at Law to receive a salary set by the commissioners courts in the counties the reporter or administrator serves to be paid out of the county treasuries, either by salary or by contract as set by the commissioners courts.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.