By Jones of Dallas H.B. No. 572
74R1313 MLR-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to exemption from jury service.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 62.106, Government Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 62.106. EXEMPTION FROM JURY SERVICE. A person
1-7 qualified to serve as a petit juror may establish an exemption from
1-8 jury service if the person <he>:
1-9 (1) is over 65 years of age;
1-10 (2) has legal custody of a child or children younger
1-11 than 10 years of age and the person's <his> service on the jury
1-12 requires leaving the child or children without adequate
1-13 supervision;
1-14 (3) is a student of a public or private secondary
1-15 school;
1-16 (4) is <a person> enrolled and in actual attendance at
1-17 an institution of higher education;
1-18 (5) is an officer or an employee of the senate, the
1-19 house of representatives, or any department, commission, board,
1-20 office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state
1-21 government;
1-22 (6) is summoned for service in a county with a
1-23 population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan
1-24 under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section
2-1 62.011(b)(6) exceeds two years, and the person <he> has served as a
2-2 petit juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the
2-3 date he is to appear for jury service; <or>
2-4 (7) is the primary caretaker of a person who is an
2-5 invalid unable to care for himself; or
2-6 (8) is registered with a temporary service or procures
2-7 work that is performed and paid for by the day.
2-8 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect January 1, 1996.
2-9 (b) The changes in the law made by this Act apply only to
2-10 persons summoned to appear for jury service on or after the
2-11 effective date of this Act.
2-12 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-13 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.