Texas House Bill HB4022

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Caption

Relating to the compensation of an assistant county auditor.

Impact

The changes proposed in HB 4022 directly affect the local governance structure by allowing county commissioners to independently decide the compensation for newly appointed assistant auditors. This aims to provide greater flexibility and responsiveness to local budgetary considerations and personnel needs. Furthermore, the bill specifies that it applies only to assistant auditors appointed after the effective date, thereby preserving the previous regulatory framework for those already in position, ensuring continuity in their compensation arrangements.

Summary

House Bill 4022 aims to modify the regulations surrounding the compensation of assistant county auditors in Texas. The bill amends specific sections of the Local Government Code to explicitly grant commissioners courts the authority to determine the salaries of these assistants. Prior to this change, district judges played a significant role in setting the salary for assistant auditors, and the bill aims to streamline this process and shift some of the decision-making power away from the judiciary to local government officials.

Contention

While the bill seems to promote local control by enabling commissioners courts to set salaries, it could also raise concerns regarding accountability and transparency in salary determinations. The historical involvement of district judges in this process provided an additional level of oversight which could potentially be diminished under the amendments proposed by HB 4022. This tension between local governance and judicial oversight may be a point of contention among stakeholders, particularly among those who prioritize transparency in public salary decisions.