BWH C.S.H.B. 1504 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


COUNTY AFFAIRS
C.S.H.B. 1504
By: Dutton
4-2-97
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND 

Under current law, petit jurors  and grand jurors are  reimbursed travel
and other expenses. The rates ranging from $6.00 to $30.00 for each day or
fraction of each day served. This reimbursement rarely ever covers the
parking cost for a juror. The resulting affect is that many persons are
unwilling to serve and many times do not serve. The jury system works when
all citizen can serve without incurring a server financial hardship. 

PURPOSE

To  increase the possible reimbursement for jurors to $50.00 per day.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Section 61.001, Government Code is amended as follows:
1) In Subsections (a) and (b) by striking $30 and replacing it with $50;
and 
 2) Amending Subsection (c) to allow the presiding judge and the attorneys
in a specific case to set the rate of pay for the jurors, with the
difference between the usual daily reimbursement and the reimbursement for
jurors in a specific case be paid  by the parties involved in the case..  

SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3. Emergency Clause.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1504 makes the following changes to SECTION 1 of the original:
 1) The substitute reinstates the $6 minimum on compensation in
Subsections (a) and (b); and 
 2) The substitute amends Subsection 61.001(c) by adding language to allow
the presiding judge and the attorneys in a specific case to set the rate
of pay for the jurors, with the difference between the usual daily
reimbursement and the reimbursement for jurors in a specific case be paid
by the parties involved in the case.