By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 2070
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to court administration, including the term of a local
administrative judge, court administration training, and the
compensation of certain administrative judges.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 74.091, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
follows:
(b) In a county with two or more district courts the judges
of those courts shall elect a district judge as local
administrative district judge:
(1) for a term of [not more than] two years; or
(2) if the district judge's term ends before the second
anniversary of the date the district judge is elected as local
administrative judge, for the remainder of the district judge's
term.
(b-1) The local administrative district judge may not be
elected on the basis of rotation or seniority.
(b-2) If a majority of the judges cannot agree on the
selection of a judge to serve as local administrative district
judge, one of the judges shall notify the regional presiding judge
who shall cast the deciding vote. A local administrative judge
elected pursuant to this subsection shall serve for a term, set by
the regional presiding judge, of no more than two years.
SECTION 2. Chapter 74, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter D-1 to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER D-1. COURT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Sec. 74.0981. COURT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE. The Office of
Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall hold an
annual meeting to provide information to presiding judges of
administrative regions, local administrative judges, and court
administrators related to:
(1) court budgets and operational funding;
(2) court activity statistics and case-level
information on the amount and character of the business transacted
by the state trial courts;
(3) the duties of a local administrative judge; and
(4) other matters related to court administration.
Sec. 74.0982. REIMBURSEMENT. TheOfficeof Court
Administration of the Texas Judicial System may reimburse a
presiding judge of an administrative region, a local administrative
judge, or a court administrator, for the expense of attending the
meeting described by Section 74.0981 to the extent money is
appropriated to the office for that purpose.
SECTION 3. Section 659.012, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as
follows:
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section or
other law, [in a county with more than five district courts,] a
district judge who serves as a local administrative district judge
under Section 74.091 is entitled to an annual base salary from the
state in the amount provided under Subsection (a) or (b) and an
additional annual [in the] amount from the state equal to:
(1) in a county with three or four district courts,
three percent of the annual base [$5,000 more than the maximum]
salary for a judge of a district court [from the state to which the
judge is otherwise entitled] under Subsection (a);
(2) in a county with more than four but fewer than 10
district courts, five percent of the annual base salary for a judge
of a district court under Subsection (a); or
(3) in a county with 10 or more district courts, seven
percent of the annual base salary for a judge of a district court
under Subsection (a) [or (b)].
(d-1) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section
or other law, a judge of a division of the business court who serves
as administrative presiding judge under Section 25A.009 is
entitled to an annual base salary from the state in the amount
provided under Subsection (a) or (b) and an additional annual
amount equal to the amount provided under Subsection (d)(3).
SECTION 4. Section 74.091, Government Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to a local administrative judge elected on or
after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.