| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a centers of excellence program developed by the Texas |
|
|
Judicial Council and a merit payment for certain justices and |
|
|
judges. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 71, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 71.040 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 71.040. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE. (a) The council by |
|
|
rule shall develop a centers of excellence program to identify, |
|
|
support, and recognize justices and judges who excel in serving |
|
|
their communities and in representing the judiciary. In awarding a |
|
|
center of excellence recognition to a justice or judge, the council |
|
|
must consider: |
|
|
(1) a justice's or judge's governance, access, |
|
|
fairness, case flow management, and court operations; and |
|
|
(2) the compliance of the justice's or judge's court |
|
|
with statutory or procedural requirements for judicial reporting, |
|
|
court security, fee collection, indigent defense, and guardianship |
|
|
fraud and abuse prevention. |
|
|
(b) A justice or judge of an appellate court, district |
|
|
court, statutory county court, or county court is eligible for |
|
|
recognition as a center of excellence and may apply for recognition |
|
|
on a form and in the manner prescribed by the council. |
|
|
(c) In addition to the annual salary paid to a justice or |
|
|
judge under Section 659.012, or by the commissioners court of a |
|
|
county or the governing body of a municipality under any other law, |
|
|
a justice or judge recognized as a center for excellence under the |
|
|
centers of excellence program is entitled to receive in each state |
|
|
fiscal year in which the justice or judge is recognized one merit |
|
|
payment in an amount equal to five percent of the justice's or |
|
|
judge's annual base salary for that year. |
|
|
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
a justice or judge recognized under a centers of excellence program |
|
|
developed by the Texas Judicial Council on or after the effective |
|
|
date of this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |