Certain state-paid active judges and justices are entitled to monthly longevity pay, and county commissioners courts may also provide it in a limited case.
Sec. 659.0445. LONGEVITY PAY FOR STATE JUDGES AND JUSTICES. (a) A judge or justice who receives a salary paid by the state, is a member of the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One or the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan Two, and is an active judge, as defined by Section 74.041, is entitled to longevity pay as provided by this section. (b) The monthly amount of longevity pay under this section to which a judge or justice described by Subsection (a) is entitled: (1) is equal to the product of 0.05 multiplied by the amount of the judge's or justice's current monthly state salary; and (2) becomes payable beginning with the month following the month in which the judge or justice completes 12 years of service for which credit is established in the applicable retirement system. (c) Repealed by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1353, Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2009. (d) The commissioners court of a county may provide longevity pay calculated in accordance with this section to a judge or justice described by Subsection (a) who: (1) previously served as a statutory county court judge in the county; (2) is not otherwise eligible for longevity pay under Subsection (b); and (3) would be entitled to longevity pay under this section if the service credit the judge or justice earned as a statutory county court judge was established in the applicable retirement system. (e) Notwithstanding any other law, longevity pay that is paid to a judge or justice under this section is not included as part of the judge's or justice's combined salary from state and county sources for purposes of the salary limitations provided by Section 659.012. Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1328 (S.B. 1519), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1353 (S.B. 497), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1353 (S.B. 497), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1121 (H.B. 2384), Sec. 19, eff. September 1, 2019.