PMWJ S.B. 756 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


JUDICIAL AFFAIRS
S.B. 756
By: Brown (Shields)
5-19-97
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

 Currently, the law allows jurors to donate all or part of their
compensation to the Texas Crime Victim's Compensation Fund.  This
sometimes leaves county officials with the task of forwarding less than $1
to the state.  Current law also requires that the form shall be provided
to each prospective juror by the person responsible for summoning the
jury. 

  
PURPOSE

 S.B. 756 requires each prospective juror reporting for jury service to
donate all of  his or her reimbursement (instead of all or part) to the
crime victims compensation fund, if the juror decides to participate in
the donation program.  This bill also amends current law to ensure that
prospective jurors are provided a form letter to participate in the juror
reimbursement donation program, but strikes current language setting out
the officer in charge of providing the form letters. 

  
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 amends Section 61.003(a), Government Code, to require each
prospective juror reporting for jury service to be provided a form letter
on donating the juror's reimbursement to the Crime Victim's Compensation
Fund. Deletes a provision requiring a person responsible under Section
62.013 or 62.014, Government Code, for summoning prospective jurors to
provide a form letter on donating the juror's reimbursement to the Crime
Victim's Compensation Fund.  Requires that a potential juror must donate
all of the juror's reimbursement to the fund, eliminating the choice to
donate a portion of the reimbursement. 

 SECTION 2. Effective date.  Application of act.

 SECTION 3. Emergency clause.