Honorable Jeff Leach, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1985 by Vasut (Relating to the service credit used in calculating longevity pay for certain judges and justices with prior full-time service as an associate judge.), As Introduced
The fiscal impact cannot be determined because the number of judges that have accrued years of service as a full-time associate judge and the number of years of that service for each judge is unknown.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
The bill would amend the Government Code to allow judicial service as a full-time associate judge of a district court to be used in calculating years of service in determining longevity pay toward the salary of a judge or justice.
Based on information provided by the Office of Court Administration (OCA), the bill could result in a salary increase for judges and justices who have prior service as full-time associate judges of a district court; however, OCA does not have information regarding which current judges or justices have accrued this additional service. The fiscal impact cannot be determined because the number of judges that have accrued years of service as a full-time associate judge and the number of years of that service for each judge is unknown.
Based on information provided by the Employees Retirement System, the bill could increase the pay used to determine payroll contributions and subsequent annuity calculations for members of Judicial Retirement System - Plan 1 (JRS 1) and Judicial Retirement System - Plan 2 (JRS 2). However, current JRS 2 active members would need a significant amount of additional service, outside of their current elected class service, for the bill to have a significant impact on the actuarial condition of JRS 2.
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, 327 Employees Retirement System