Honorable Garnet Coleman, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2244 by Wilson (Relating to the annual state salary supplement for a county judge.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2244, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($1,915,200) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2022
($957,600)
2023
($957,600)
2024
($957,600)
2025
($957,600)
2026
($957,600)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2022
($957,600)
2023
($957,600)
2024
($957,600)
2025
($957,600)
2026
($957,600)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code to eliminate the requirement for constitutional county judges to file an affidavit with the Comptroller's Judiciary Section stating 40 percent of their duties are performed on judicial functions to be eligible to receive an annual salary supplement from the state. The supplement is equal to 18 percent of the state base salary paid to a district judge, or $25,200 per year. Under the bill's provisions, all constitutional county judges eligible for the supplement.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2021.
Methodology
Costs reflected in the table above are based on the analysis provided by the Office of Court Administration and the Comptroller of Public Accounts.
There are currently 216 constitutional county judges receiving the annual salary supplement of $25,200. Under the bill's provisions, an additional 38 judges would be eligible for a salary supplement. If all 254 constitutional county judges received the supplement, the fiscal impact would be $957,600 (38 x $25,200 = $957,600) per fiscal year.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Admin, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts