Sec. 75.016.  PRESIDING CRIMINAL JUDGE OF TRAVIS COUNTY.  (a)  The judges of the Travis County district courts that give preference to criminal cases shall elect from among those judges a presiding criminal judge for the county for a two-year term expiring September 30 of each odd-numbered year.
(b)  The presiding criminal judge, with respect to the Travis County district courts that give preference to criminal cases, shall:
(1)  preside at all meetings of the criminal judges, except when absent, in which case any other of those judges may preside;
(2)  implement and execute the local district court rules of administration for those courts, including assigning all capital murder cases to the proper court on a rotating basis;
(3)  appoint any special or standing committees necessary or desirable for the administration of those courts;
(4)  address administrative issues on an emergency basis for the criminal courts, provided that the presiding criminal judge's decisions regarding those issues may be reviewed at the next meeting of the judges of those courts;
(5)  supervise the budget and fiscal matters of the criminal courts;
(6)  monitor and serve as liaison regarding any legislation amending the Penal Code or Code of Criminal Procedure and any other legislation affecting the business of those courts; and
(7)  serve as a liaison to the commissioners court of the county and appear before the commissioners court as necessary.
(c)  The Commissioners Court of Travis County may set additional compensation to be paid to the presiding criminal judge by the county in any amount that does not exceed the amount the local administrative district judge of Travis County receives from this state.  Notwithstanding any other law, compensation paid the presiding criminal judge under this subsection is not included as part of the judge's combined base salary from all state and county sources for purposes of the salary limitations provided by Section 659.012.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 959 (H.B. 3468), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2009.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1121 (H.B. 2384), Sec. 16, eff. September 1, 2019.