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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the additional compensation certain counties pay to |
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judges and justices for extrajudicial services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 25A, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 25A.0115 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 25A.0115. AUTHORITY FOR ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION. (a) |
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The commissioners court of a county may pay the judges of the |
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business court having jurisdiction in the county additional |
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compensation in an amount not to exceed the limitations provided in |
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Section 659.012 for extrajudicial services performed by the |
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business court judges. |
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(b) The county shall pay the compensation from the county |
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general fund or other available county funds in: |
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(1) monthly installments; or |
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(2) biweekly installments if authorized by the |
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commissioners court. |
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(c) The compensation is in addition to the salary paid by |
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this state and any other compensation authorized by law. |
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SECTION 2. Section 31.001, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 31.001. AUTHORITY FOR COUNTY PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION. |
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The commissioners courts in the counties of each of the 15 courts of |
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appeals districts may pay additional compensation in an amount that |
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does not exceed the limitations of Section 659.012 to each of the |
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justices of the courts of appeals[, other than a justice of the |
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Court of Appeals of the Fifteenth Court of Appeals District,] |
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residing within the court of appeals district that includes those |
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counties. The compensation is for all extrajudicial services |
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performed by the justices. |
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SECTION 3. Section 659.012(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Notwithstanding Section 659.011 and subject to |
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Subsections (b) and (b-1): |
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(1) a judge of a district court or a division of the |
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business court is entitled to an annual base salary from the state |
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as set by the General Appropriations Act in an amount equal to at |
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least $140,000, except that the combined base salary of a district |
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judge or judge of a division of the business court from all state |
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and county sources, including compensation for any extrajudicial |
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services performed on behalf of the county, may not exceed the |
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amount that is $5,000 less than the maximum combined base salary |
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from all state and county sources for a justice of a court of |
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appeals other than a chief justice as determined under this |
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subsection; |
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(2) [except as provided by Subdivision (3),] a justice |
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of a court of appeals other than the chief justice is entitled to an |
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annual base salary from the state in the amount equal to 110 percent |
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of the state base salary of a district judge as set by the General |
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Appropriations Act, except that the combined base salary of a |
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justice of the court of appeals other than the chief justice from |
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all state and county sources, including compensation for any |
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extrajudicial services performed on behalf of the county, may not |
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exceed the amount that is $13,000 more [$5,000 less] than the base |
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salary for a justice of the supreme court as determined under this |
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subsection; |
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(3) [a justice of the Court of Appeals for the |
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Fifteenth Court of Appeals District other than the chief justice is |
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entitled to an annual base salary from the state in the amount equal |
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to $5,000 less than 120 percent of the state base salary of a |
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district judge as set by the General Appropriations Act; |
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[(4)] a justice of the supreme court other than the |
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chief justice or a judge of the court of criminal appeals other than |
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the presiding judge is entitled to an annual base salary from the |
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state in the amount equal to 120 percent of the state base salary of |
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a district judge as set by the General Appropriations Act; and |
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(4) [(5)] the chief justice or presiding judge of an |
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appellate court is entitled to an annual base salary from the state |
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in the amount equal to $2,500 more than the state base salary |
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provided for the other justices or judges of the court, except that |
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the combined base salary of the chief justice of a court of appeals |
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from all state and county sources may not exceed the amount equal to |
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$15,500 more [$2,500 less] than the base salary for a justice of the |
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supreme court as determined under this subsection. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, |
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2025. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |