COMMISSIONERS OF COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS.

(a) The presiding judge of the court of criminal appeals, with the concurrence of a majority of the judges of the court of criminal appeals, may designate and appoint a retired appellate judge or district judge who has consented to be subject to appointment, or an active appellate judge or district judge, to sit as a commissioner of the court of criminal appeals. A designated judge must consent to the designation and appointment. The presiding judge may designate and appoint as many commissioners as he deems necessary to aid the court in disposing of its business.

(b) A commissioner shall discharge the duties that are assigned him by the court and may be appointed to serve either for a certain period of time or for a particular case or cases.

(c) The opinions of a commissioner shall be submitted to the court of criminal appeals for approval. When approved by a majority of the court, an opinion of a commissioner has the same weight and legal effect as an opinion originally prepared by the court of criminal appeals.

(d) The compensation of a judge while sitting as a commissioner of the court of criminal appeals shall be paid out of money appropriated from the general revenue fund for that purpose in an amount equal to the salary of the judges of the court of criminal appeals and shall be in lieu of the retirement allowance that the judge receives or in lieu of the compensation he receives as an active judge of another court. In addition to the compensation, a judge sitting as a commissioner of the court is entitled to receive his actual travel expenses to and from Austin and a $25 per diem while he is assigned to the court of criminal appeals in Austin.