Sparks Bill Ends The Fifteenth Court’s Higher State Salary

The text as introduced · 760 words

89R4934 AMF-D

By: Sparks
S.B. No. 717

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the additional compensation certain counties pay to

judges and justices for extrajudicial services.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 25A, Government Code, is amended by

adding Section 25A.0115 to read as follows:

Sec. 25A.0115. AUTHORITY FOR ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION. (a)

The commissioners court of a county may pay the judges of the

business court having jurisdiction in the county additional

compensation in an amount not to exceed the limitations provided in

Section 659.012 for extrajudicial services performed by the

business court judges.

(b) The county shall pay the compensation from the county

general fund or other available county funds in:

(1) monthly installments; or

(2) biweekly installments if authorized by the

commissioners court.

(c) The compensation is in addition to the salary paid by

this state and any other compensation authorized by law.

SECTION 2. Section 31.001, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 31.001. AUTHORITY FOR COUNTY PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION.

The commissioners courts in the counties of each of the 15 courts of

appeals districts may pay additional compensation in an amount that

does not exceed the limitations of Section 659.012 to each of the

justices of the courts of appeals[ , other than a justice of the

Court of Appeals of the Fifteenth Court of Appeals District, ]

residing within the court of appeals district that includes those

counties. The compensation is for all extrajudicial services

performed by the justices.

SECTION 3. Section 659.012(a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) Notwithstanding Section 659.011 and subject to

Subsections (b) and (b-1):

(1) a judge of a district court or a division of the

business court is entitled to an annual base salary from the state

as set by the General Appropriations Act in an amount equal to at

least $140,000, except that the combined base salary of a district

judge or judge of a division of the business court from all state

and county sources, including compensation for any extrajudicial

services performed on behalf of the county, may not exceed the

amount that is $5,000 less than the maximum combined base salary

from all state and county sources for a justice of a court of

appeals other than a chief justice as determined under this

subsection;

(2) [ except as provided by Subdivision (3), ] a justice

of a court of appeals other than the chief justice is entitled to an

annual base salary from the state in the amount equal to 110 percent

of the state base salary of a district judge as set by the General

Appropriations Act, except that the combined base salary of a

justice of the court of appeals other than the chief justice from

all state and county sources, including compensation for any

extrajudicial services performed on behalf of the county, may not

exceed the amount that is $13,000 more [ $5,000 less ] than the base

salary for a justice of the supreme court as determined under this

subsection;

(3) [ a justice of the Court of Appeals for the

Fifteenth Court of Appeals District other than the chief justice is

entitled to an annual base salary from the state in the amount equal

to $5,000 less than 120 percent of the state base salary of a

district judge as set by the General Appropriations Act;

[ (4) ] a justice of the supreme court other than the

chief justice or a judge of the court of criminal appeals other than

the presiding judge is entitled to an annual base salary from the

state in the amount equal to 120 percent of the state base salary of

a district judge as set by the General Appropriations Act; and

(4) [ (5) ] the chief justice or presiding judge of an

appellate court is entitled to an annual base salary from the state

in the amount equal to $2,500 more than the state base salary

provided for the other justices or judges of the court, except that

the combined base salary of the chief justice of a court of appeals

from all state and county sources may not exceed the amount equal to

$15,500 more [ $2,500 less ] than the base salary for a justice of the

supreme court as determined under this subsection.

SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply

beginning with the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1,

2025.

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