Relating to methods of determining compensation for elected county officers

This bill relates to methods of determining compensation for elected county officers. Under current law, each county has a county compensation board that prepares a recommended compensation schedule for elected county officers that the county board of supervisors then reviews. Current law provides procedures and limitations that both the county compensation board and board of supervisors must adhere to in determining the final compensation schedule. The bill allows a board of supervisors to vote to establish a county compensation board. The county compensation board shall be composed as provided under current law. The board of supervisors may also vote to dissolve a county compensation board. The board of supervisors is responsible for preparing a compensation schedule if the board of supervisors has not established or has dissolved a county compensation board. The bill strikes provisions that prohibit the board of supervisors from exceeding the compensation schedule recommended by the county compensation board or from reducing the amount of the recommended compensation schedule unless the amount of salary increase proposed for each elected county officer is reduced by an equal percentage. Further, the bill strikes a provision that authorizes the board of supervisors to adopt a decrease in compensation paid to supervisors irrespective of the compensation board’s recommended compensation schedule or other approved changes in compensation paid to other elected county officers. The bill makes conforming changes.