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