What happened: Texas lawmakers approved SB 293, a 25% pay raise for state judges—the first increase in 12 years—on the final day of the legislative session.

Why it matters: Texas ranks near the bottom nationally in judicial pay, making it harder to attract experienced, well-qualified candidates. 

• SB 293 also addresses long-standing concerns about linking judge salaries to lawmaker pensions by shifting oversight of future legislative pensions to the Texas Ethics Commission.

TLR Thoughts: Ensuring Texas has a strong, capable judiciary starts with attracting top legal talent—and fair, competitive compensation plays a major role. TLR strongly supported this reform because it will help expand and improve the pool of candidates seeking to serve, ultimately strengthening the quality of Texas’s judiciary and public trust in our courts.

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