By: Leach H.B. No. 5128

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to court administration, including the term of a local administrative judge, court administration training, and the compensation of certain administrative judges.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 74.091, Government Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b) In a county with two or more district courts the judges of those courts shall elect a district judge as local administrative district judge:

(1) for a term of [not more than] two years; or

(2) if the district judge's term ends before the second anniversary of the date the district judge is elected as local administrative judge, for the remainder of the district judge's term.

(b-1) The local administrative district judge may not be elected on the basis of rotation or seniority.

(b-2) If a majority of the judges cannot agree on the selection of a judge to serve as local administrative district judge, one of the judges shall notify the regional presiding judge who shall cast the deciding vote. A local administrative judge elected pursuant to this subsection shall serve for a term, set by the regional presiding judge, of no more than two years.

SECTION 2. Chapter 74, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter D-1 to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER D-1. COURT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Sec. 74.0981. COURT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE. The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall hold an annual meeting to provide information to presiding judges of administrative regions, local administrative judges, and court administrators related to:

(1) court budgets and operational funding;

(2) court activity statistics and case-level information on the amount and character of the business transacted by the state trial courts;

(3) the duties of a local administrative judge; and

(4) other matters related to court administration.

Sec. 74.0982. REIMBURSEMENT. The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System may reimburse a presiding judge of an administrative region, a local administrative judge, or a court administrator, for the expense of attending the meeting described by Section 74.0981 to the extent money is appropriated to the office for that purpose.

SECTION 3. Section 659.012, Government Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows:

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section or other law, [in a county with more than five district courts,] a district judge who serves as a local administrative district judge under Section 74.091 is entitled to an annual base salary from the state in the amount provided under Subsection (a) or (b) and an additional annual [in the] amount from the state equal to:

(1) in a county with three or four district courts, three percent of the annual base [$5,000 more than the maximum] salary for a judge of a district court [from the state to which the judge is otherwise entitled] under Subsection (a);

(2) in a county with more than four but fewer than 10 district courts, five percent of the annual base salary for a judge of a district court under Subsection (a); or

(3) in a county with 10 or more district courts, seven percent of the annual base salary for a judge of a district court under Subsection (a) [or (b)].

(d-1) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section or other law, a judge of a division of the business court who serves as administrative presiding judge under Section 25A.009 is entitled to an annual base salary from the state in the amount provided under Subsection (a) or (b) and an additional annual amount equal to the amount provided under Subsection (d)(3).

SECTION 4. Section 74.091, Government Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a local administrative judge elected on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.