Bill Text: TX SB1953 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a centers of excellence program developed by the Texas Judicial Council and a merit payment for certain justices and judges.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-21 - Referred to Finance [SB1953 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB1953-Introduced.html
By: Zaffirini | S.B. No. 1953 | |
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relating to a centers of excellence program developed by the Texas | ||
Judicial Council and a merit payment for certain justices and | ||
judges. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 71, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 71.040 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 71.040. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE. (a) The council by | ||
rule shall develop a centers of excellence program to identify, | ||
support, and recognize justices and judges who excel in serving | ||
their communities and in representing the judiciary. In awarding a | ||
center of excellence recognition to a justice or judge, the council | ||
must consider: | ||
(1) a justice's or judge's governance, access, | ||
fairness, case flow management, and court operations; and | ||
(2) the compliance of the justice's or judge's court | ||
with statutory or procedural requirements for judicial reporting, | ||
court security, fee collection, indigent defense, and guardianship | ||
fraud and abuse prevention. | ||
(b) A justice or judge of an appellate court, district | ||
court, statutory county court, or county court is eligible for | ||
recognition as a center of excellence and may apply for recognition | ||
on a form and in the manner prescribed by the council. | ||
(c) In addition to the annual salary paid to a justice or | ||
judge under Section 659.012, or by the commissioners court of a | ||
county or the governing body of a municipality under any other law, | ||
a justice or judge recognized as a center for excellence under the | ||
centers of excellence program is entitled to receive in each state | ||
fiscal year in which the justice or judge is recognized one merit | ||
payment in an amount equal to five percent of the justice's or | ||
judge's annual base salary for that year. | ||
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
a justice or judge recognized under a centers of excellence program | ||
developed by the Texas Judicial Council on or after the effective | ||
date of this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |