SENATE BILL NO. 233
INTRODUCED BY J. BOHLINGER
AN ACT PROVIDING A DISCRETIONARY LONGEVITY SALARY ADJUSTMENT FOR COUNTY ATTORNEYS; AMENDING SECTIONS 7-4-2503 AND 46-18-236, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TERMINATION DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 7-4-2503, MCA, is amended to read:
"7-4-2503. Salary schedule for certain county officers. (1) (a) The salary paid to the county treasurer, county clerk and recorder, clerk of the district court, county assessor, county superintendent of schools, county sheriff, county surveyor in counties where county surveyors receive salaries as provided in 7-4-2812, and county auditor in all counties where the office is authorized must be established by the county governing body at no less than 80% of the annual base salary of:
(i) $25,000 for counties of the first through fifth class added to the population increment of $10 for each 100 persons or major fraction of 100 persons included in the county's population as determined by the 1990 federal decennial census; or
(ii) $18,000 for counties of the sixth and seventh class added to the population increment of $10 per for each 100 persons
or major fraction of 100 persons in the county's population as determined by the 1990 federal decennial census.
(b) The annual base established by the county governing body in subsection (1) must be uniform for all county officers referred to in subsection (1).
(2) (a) An elected county superintendent of schools must receive, in addition to the salary based upon subsection (1), the
sum of $400 per a year, except that an elected county superintendent of schools who holds a master of arts degree or a
master's degree in education, with an endorsement in school administration, from a unit of the Montana university system or
an equivalent institution may, at the discretion of the county commissioners, receive, in addition to the salary based upon
subsection (1), up to $2,000 per a year.
(b) The county sheriff must receive, in addition to the salary based upon subsection (1), the sum of $2,000 per a year.
(c) The county sheriff must receive a longevity payment amounting to 1% of the base salary set forth in subsection (1) for each year of service with the sheriff's department, but years of service during any year in which the salary was set at the level of the salary of the prior fiscal year may not be included in any calculation of longevity increases. The additional salary amount provided for in this subsection may not be included in the base salary for purposes of computing the compensation for undersheriffs and deputy sheriffs as provided in 7-4-2508.
(3) (a) In each county with a population in excess of 30,000, the county attorney must be a full-time official under
7-4-2704, and the base salary is $50,000 per a year. In counties with a population less than 30,000, the county attorney who
is a part-time official for a county of the first, second, or third class is entitled to receive an annual base salary equal to 60%
of the annual salary of a full-time county attorney. A county attorney who is a part-time official for a county of the fourth,
fifth, sixth, or seventh class is entitled to receive an annual base salary equal to 50% of the annual base salary of a full-time
county attorney.
(b) In those counties where the office of the county attorney has been established as a full-time position pursuant to
7-4-2706, the base salary of the county attorney is the same as that the base salary established for full-time county attorneys
in subsection (3)(a).
(c) On August 1 of each year, each county attorney is entitled to an increase in salary calculated by adding to the annual salary a percentage of up to 100% of the previous calendar year's consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, or other index that the bureau of business and economic research of the university of Montana-Missoula may in the future recognize as the successor to that index. However, the county commissioners may, for all or the remainder of each fiscal year, in conjunction with setting salaries for other officers as provided in 7-4-2504(1), set the salary at the prior fiscal year level if that level is lower than the level required by this subsection (3)(c). The cost-of-living increment for each fiscal year must be added to all cost-of-living increments granted for previous years unless salaries were set for the fiscal year at the level of salaries received in the prior fiscal year. Unless restored pursuant to 7-4-2504(2), a cost-of-living increment that would have been received for the fiscal year, computed on the prior fiscal year, may not be added to previous increments.
(d) (i) After completing 4 years of service as deputy county attorney, each deputy county attorney is entitled to an
increase in salary of $1,000 on the anniversary date of employment as deputy county attorney as a deputy county attorney.
After completing 5 years of service as deputy county attorney, each deputy county attorney is entitled to an additional
increase in salary of $1,500 on the anniversary date of employment. After completing 6 years of service as deputy county
attorney and for each year of service thereafter up to completion of the 11th year of service, each deputy county attorney is
entitled to an additional annual increase in salary of $500.
(ii) A county with a full-time county attorney may pay its full-time county attorney the same longevity increase that is provided for under subsection (3)(d)(i) for deputy county attorneys.
(ii)(iii) The years of service as a deputy county attorney accumulated prior to July 1, 1985, must be included in the
calculation of the longevity increase, but, unless Unless longevity increases are restored pursuant to 7-4-2504(2), the years
of service during a year in which the salary was set at the level of the salary of the prior fiscal year may not be included in a
calculation of longevity increases.
(4) The latest federal decennial census statistics are the basis for computation of population increments under this section. During the intervening 9 years, the computation of population increments applicable on July 1 of each year is based on the most current calendar year's estimates of counties' populations compiled by the federal-state cooperative program for estimates of the university of Montana-Missoula bureau of business and economic research and the U.S. bureau of the census or other estimate that the bureau of business and economic research may certify."
Section 2. Section 46-18-236, MCA, is amended to read:
"46-18-236. Imposition of charge upon conviction or forfeiture -- administration. (1) Except as provided in
subsection (2), there must be imposed by all courts of original jurisdiction on a defendant person upon his conviction for
any conduct made criminal by state statute or upon forfeiture of bond or bail a charge that is in addition to other taxable
court costs, fees, or fines, as follows:
(a) $15 for each misdemeanor charge; and
(b) the greater of $20 or 10% of the fine levied for each felony charge.
(2) If a convicting court determines under 46-18-231 and 46-18-232 that the defendant person is not able to pay the fine
and costs or that he the person is unable to pay within a reasonable time, the court must shall waive payment of the charge
imposed by this section.
(3) The charge imposed by this section is not a fine and must be imposed in addition to any fine and may not be used in determining the jurisdiction of any court.
(4) When the payment of a fine is to be made in installments over a period of time, the charge imposed by this section must be collected from the first payment made and each subsequent payment as necessary if the first payment is not sufficient to cover the charge.
(5) The charges collected under subsection (1), except those collected by a justice's court, must be deposited with the appropriate local government finance officer or treasurer. If a city municipal court or city or town court is the court of original jurisdiction, the charges collected under subsection (1) must be deposited with the city or town finance officer or treasurer. If a district court is the court of original jurisdiction, the charges collected under subsection (1) must be deposited with the county finance officer or treasurer. If the court of original jurisdiction is a court within a consolidated city-county government within the meaning of Title 7, chapter 3, the charges collected under subsection (1) must be deposited with the finance officer or treasurer of the consolidated government.
(6) (a) A city or town finance officer or treasurer may retain the charges collected under subsection (1) by a city
municipal court or a city or town court and may use that money for the payment of salaries of the city or town attorney and
his deputies deputy city or town attorneys.
(b) Each county finance officer or treasurer may retain the charges collected under subsection (1) by district courts for
crimes committed or alleged to have been committed within that county. The county finance officer or treasurer shall use
the money for the payment of salaries of its county attorney and deputy county attorneys and for the payment of other
salaries in the office of the county attorney, and any funds not needed for such those salaries may be used for the payment
of any other county salaries."
Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 1999.
Section 4. Termination. [This act] terminates July 1, 2001.
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