The commissioners court must set administrator staffing levels, provide office space and needed equipment/operating expenses, and cannot start with less operating-expense funding than the prior total for the transferred functions.
Sec. 31.039. SALARY; STAFF; OPERATING EXPENSES. (a) The commissioners court shall set the number of deputies and other persons that the county elections administrator may employ. (b) Repealed by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1272, Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 2005. (c) The commissioners court may allow the automobile expense that it considers necessary to the administrator and to any of the administrator's employees in the performance of their official duties. (d) The commissioners court shall provide the administrator with suitable office space and with the equipment and operating expenses needed for the proper conduct of the office. (e) The amount initially appropriated by the commissioners court for the operating expenses of the administrator's office may not be less than the total amount last appropriated to the county clerk and the county tax assessor-collector for the functions assigned to the administrator. (f) Except as provided by Subsection (g), a person employed on a full-time basis by the administrator's office is subject to Section 31.035 in the same manner as the administrator. (g) Section 31.035(b) does not apply to a person employed on a full-time basis by the administrator's office in a county with a population of 1.2 million or less that has an election administrator. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 536, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1272 (H.B. 2199), Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 2005. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 448 (H.B. 2401), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 644 (H.B. 4559), Sec. 26, eff. September 1, 2023.