BILL ANALYSIS



S.B. 346
By: Brown (Thompson)
May 4, 1995
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

     Currently, jurors do not have the option of donating their
compensation to the victims of crime fund.


PURPOSE

     This bill provides jurors with an option of having their
reimbursement for jury service be donated toward the compensation
to victims of crime fund.


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

     Section 3 requires the attorney general to adopt rules to
govern the procedures to be followed by the state treasurer or
county treasurers in accepting donations from jurors.


SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

     SECTION 1 amends Chapter 61, Government Code, by adding
Section 61.003, as follows:
           Sec. 61.003.  DONATION OF REIMBURSEMENT.
           Subsec. (a) requires a person responsible for summoning
       jurors for jury service to provide to each prospect an
       optional form which directs the county treasurer to donate
       all or part of the prospective juror's reimbursement for
       jury service to the compensation to victims of crime fund
       (fund).
           Subsec. (b) requires the county treasurer to send all
       donations made under this section to the state treasurer, as
       prescribed by the attorney general, for deposit to the
       credit of the fund.
       
     SECTION 2.  Effective date.  Application of act.
           SECTION 3 requires the attorney general to adopt rules
consistent with this Act prescribing procedures to be followed by
the county treasurers and the state treasurer in collecting
donations from jurors under Section 61.003, Government Code, no
later than December 1, 1995.

     SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

     Pursuant to an announcement made on May 4, 1995, while the
House was still in session, the Committee on Judicial Affairs met
in a formal meeting on May 4, 1995.  The Chair laid out S.B. 346
and explained the bill.  Rep. Nixon moved that S.B. 346 be reported
favorably back to the full House, without amendment, with the
recommendation that it do pass, be printed and sent to the Local &
Consent Calendars Committee.  The motion prevailed by the following
record vote:  5 ayes, 0 nays, 0 PNV and 4 absent.