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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the donation of juror reimbursements. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 61.003(a) and (c), Government Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Each person who reports for jury service shall be |
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personally provided a form letter that when signed by the person |
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directs the county treasurer to donate all, or a specific amount |
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designated by the person, of the person's daily reimbursement under |
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this chapter to: |
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(1) the compensation to victims of crime fund |
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established under Subchapter J, Chapter 56B, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure; |
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(2) the child welfare, child protective services, or |
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child services board of the county appointed under Section 264.005, |
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Family Code, that serves abused and neglected children; |
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(3) any program selected by the commissioners court |
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that is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization and |
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that provides shelter and services to victims of family violence; |
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(4) any other program approved by the commissioners |
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court of the county, including a program established under Article |
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56A.205, Code of Criminal Procedure, that offers psychological |
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counseling in criminal cases involving graphic evidence or |
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testimony; [or] |
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(5) a veterans court program established by the |
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commissioners court as provided by Chapter 124; or |
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(6) a veterans county service office established by |
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the commissioners court as provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 434. |
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(c) The county treasurer shall: |
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(1) send all donations made under Subsection (a)(1) to |
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the comptroller, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the |
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attorney general, for deposit to the credit of the compensation to |
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victims of crime fund; |
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(2) deposit donations made to the county child welfare |
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board under Subsection (a)(2) in a fund established by the county to |
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be used by the child welfare board in a manner authorized by the |
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commissioners court of the county; and |
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(3) send all donations made under Subsection (a)(3), |
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[or] (a)(4), or (a)(6) directly to the program or office, as |
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applicable, specified on the form letter signed by the person who |
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reported for jury service. |
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SECTION 2. Section 434.032, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) The commissioners court of a county that maintains an |
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office: |
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(1) may not consider a juror's donation to the office |
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of the juror's daily reimbursement under Section 61.003 for |
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purposes of determining the county's budget for the office; and |
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(2) may use donations described by Subdivision (1) |
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only to supplement, rather than supplant, amounts budgeted by the |
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county for the office. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |