By Thompson H.B. No. 2095
74R4544 GWK-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the punishment for contempt of certain persons who fail
1-3 to respond to a jury summons.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Article 45.25, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Art. 45.25. Jury summoned. If the accused does not waive a
1-8 trial by jury, the justice shall issue a writ commanding the proper
1-9 officer to summon forthwith a venire from which six qualified
1-10 persons shall be selected to serve as jurors in the case. Said
1-11 jurors when so summoned shall remain in attendance as jurors in all
1-12 cases that may come up for hearing until discharged by the court.
1-13 Any person so summoned who fails to attend may be punished <fined
1-14 not exceeding $20> for contempt by imposition of a fine of not less
1-15 than $100 or more than $1,000.
1-16 SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
1-17 to a person who on or after the effective date of this Act fails to
1-18 respond to a jury summons. Failure to respond to a jury summons
1-19 before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in
1-20 effect at the time of the failure, and the former law is continued
1-21 in effect for that purpose.
1-22 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
1-23 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.