Sec. 31.160. SALARY; STAFF; OPERATING EXPENSES. (a) The joint elections commission shall set the number of deputies and other persons that the joint elections administrator may employ.

(b) The joint elections commission may allow the automobile expense that it considers necessary to the joint elections administrator and to any of the administrator's employees in the performance of their official duties.

(c) The joint elections commission shall provide the joint elections administrator with suitable office space and with the equipment and operating expenses needed for the proper conduct of the office.

(d) The participating entities shall share the cost of the operating expenses of the joint elections administrator's office, as determined by the participating entities. The total amount initially appropriated by the governing bodies of the participating entities for the operating expenses of the administrator's office may not be less than the total amount last appropriated to the least populous participating county's county clerk and county tax assessor-collector for the functions assigned to the administrator.

(e) The joint elections administrator for a county with a population of one million or more that has an elections administrator is subject to Section 31.035 in the same manner as a county elections administrator. A person employed on a full-time basis by the joint elections administrator's office for that county is subject to Section 31.035 in the same manner as the joint elections administrator.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 148 (S.B. 493), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.