Bill Text: TX HB1710 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to a cost-of-living increase in compensation for district judges.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-05-02 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB1710 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-HB1710-Introduced.html

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83R5845 RWG-D
By: Raymond H.B. No. 1710

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a cost-of-living increase in compensation for district
judges and longevity pay for certain judges and justices.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter A, Chapter 32,
Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER A. ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION PAID BY COUNTY
[FOR EXTRAJUDICIAL SERVICES]
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 32, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 32.002 to read as follows:
Sec. 32.002. COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE. (a) If the state has
not increased the state salary paid to a district judge during the
preceding three-year period, the commissioners court of a county
may pay each judge of a district court having jurisdiction in the
county an annual cost-of-living increase in an amount not to exceed
10 percent of the judge's combined salary from state and county
sources. Notwithstanding any other law, compensation paid to a
judge under this section is not included as part of the judge's
combined salary from state and county sources for purposes of the
salary limitations provided by Section 659.012.
(b) If the state increases the state salary paid to a
district judge after a commissioners court of a county begins
paying a cost-of-living increase under this section, the
commissioners court of a county may stop paying the cost-of-living
increase, or may continue paying that increase.
SECTION 3. Section 659.0445(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) The monthly amount of longevity pay under this section
to which a judge or justice described by Subsection (a) is entitled:
(1) is equal to the product of .031 multiplied by the
amount of the judge's or justice's current monthly state salary; and
(2) becomes payable beginning with the month following
the month in which the judge or justice completes 10 [16] years of
service for which credit is established in the applicable
retirement system.
SECTION 4. Section 659.0445(b), Government Code, as amended
by this Act, applies to longevity pay payable to a judge or justice
after September 1, 2013, regardless of the date the judge or justice
first becomes entitled to longevity pay.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.