Texas Senate Bill 293 – More Money, More Oversight for State Judiciary, Published in Texas Lawyer

In the article “Texas Senate Bill 293 – More Money, More Oversight for State Judiciary” published on 10/27 in Texas Lawyer, Segal McCambridge Associate Schuyler Whiting discusses the various laws that became effective after the 89th Regular Legislative Session in Austin concluded earlier this fall. From school vouchers to the Texas Cyber Command to Senate Bill 293 that includes judicial reforms, the flurry of bills generated a lot of buzz from businesses and individuals.

“The biggest takeaway of the legislation (SB 293) is a $35,000 increase in annual base salary for district court judges, bringing the minimum salary up to $175,000—surely a welcome adjustment after over a decade of stagnation that saw the Texas judiciary amongst the lowest paid in the country,” notes Whiting. “The bill’s 25% pay hike for district judges does not come without a hitch, with the substantive balance of the bill consisting of increased oversight, adding administrative supervision, along with the increase in compensation.”

Whiting outlines how SB 293 touches each branch – executive, judicial, and legislative – with new supervisory roles. Timekeeping for certain duties, annual reporting requirements, and fines and penalties for offenses – both for the Texas judiciary and against persons who knowingly file false complaints – are all part of the SB 293 package.

“It remains to be seen whether the new reporting requirements will result in targeted responses to particular cases or spur additional generalized judicial reform from the legislature,” Whiting says. “It is likewise unclear how SB 293 will affect the interplay between the State Commission on Judicial Conduct—an independent agency—and the executives and legislators who will receive the new annual reports. Amongst the uncertainty, however, one thing is certain: Texas judges are receiving a pay raise that is long overdue.”

Read the story in full, click here (subscriber-based).