Honorable Jeff Leach, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1222 by Wray (Relating to the annual salaries of the chief justice or the presiding judge of an appellate court.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1222, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($101,500) through the biennium ending August 31, 2021.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2020
($50,750)
2021
($50,750)
2022
($50,750)
2023
($50,750)
2024
($50,750)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2020
($50,750)
2021
($50,750)
2022
($50,750)
2023
($50,750)
2024
($50,750)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government code to allow the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Presiding Judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals to receive an annual salary that is $10,000 more than the salary provided to other justices or judges of the court.
The bill would also allow a chief justice of a courts of appeals district to receive an annual salary that is $5,000 more than the salary provided to the other judges of the court.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2019.
Methodology
State judicial compensation is traditionally met through a mix of General Revenue and Judicial Fund No. 573 funding, however for the past several fiscal years Judicial Fund No. 573 revenues have not been sufficient to meet all judicial salary obligations. Due to this, General Revenue funding has been used to meet the remaining obligations. Therefore, this estimate assumes General Revenue funding would be needed to cover the full state obligations for these provisions.
Currently, the annual salary of a justice and judge of the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals is $168,000. Under the provisions of the bill, the Chief Justice and the Presiding Judge would be entitled to receive an annual salary that is $10,000 more than the salary of a judge or justice, or $178,000. The current salary of the Chief Justice and the Presiding Judge is $170,500. The result is an increase of $15,000 each fiscal year ($30,000 for the 2020-21 biennium).
Currently, the annual salary of a judge of a court of appeals district is $154,000. Under the provisions of the bill, a chief justice of a court of appeals is entitled to receive an annual salary that is $5,000 more than the salary of a judge, or $159,000. The result is an increase of $35,000 each fiscal year for 14 chief justice positions. ($70,000 for the 2020-21 biennium).
This analysis assumes $750 each fiscal year ($1,500 for the 2020-21 biennium) for increased payroll contributions.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts