By Solomons H.B. No. 236
75R803 MLS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to reimbursement for mileage traveled by jurors.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 61.001, Government Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 61.001. REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES OF JURORS. (a) Each
1-7 grand juror or petit juror in a civil or criminal case in a
1-8 district court, criminal district court, county court, county court
1-9 at law, or justice court is entitled to receive as reimbursement
1-10 for travel and other expenses an amount not less than $6 nor more
1-11 than $30 for each day or fraction of each day served as a juror.
1-12 (b) A person who responds to the process of a court but is
1-13 excused from petit jury service by the court for any cause after
1-14 his voir dire examination is entitled to receive as reimbursement
1-15 for travel and other expenses an amount not less than $6 nor more
1-16 than $30 for each day or fraction of each day in attendance in
1-17 court in response to the process.
1-18 (c) In addition to the amount provided by Subsection (a) or
1-19 (b), a person who is required to appear at the time and place for
1-20 appearance stated in the jury summons and is then required to
1-21 travel more than 10 miles on the same day to the location where the
1-22 proceedings are held is entitled to receive a mileage reimbursement
1-23 at a rate not to exceed the rate of mileage reimbursement for state
1-24 employees provided by the General Appropriations Act.
2-1 (d) [(c)] The commissioners court of each county shall
2-2 determine annually the daily and mileage reimbursement of expenses
2-3 for jurors. The reimbursement must be within the minimum and
2-4 maximum amounts prescribed by this section and paid out of the jury
2-5 fund of the county.
2-6 (e) [(d)] A check drawn on the jury fund by the district
2-7 clerk of the county may be transferred by endorsement and delivery
2-8 and is receivable at par from the holder for all county taxes.
2-9 (f) [(e)] A reimbursement for expenses under this section is
2-10 not a property right of a juror or prospective juror for purposes
2-11 of Chapters 72 and 74, Property Code. If a check or other
2-12 instrument representing a reimbursement under this section is not
2-13 presented for payment or redeemed before the 90th day after it is
2-14 issued:
2-15 (1) the instrument is considered forfeited and is
2-16 void; and
2-17 (2) the money represented by the instrument may be
2-18 placed in the county's jury fund, the county's general fund, or any
2-19 other fund in which county funds can be legally placed, at the
2-20 discretion of the commissioners court.
2-21 SECTION 2. Section 30.010(c), Government Code, is amended to
2-22 read as follows:
2-23 (c) The governing body of the city shall establish
2-24 procedures for summoning and impaneling jury panels for the courts
2-25 and for the reimbursement [compensation] of the expenses of jurors.
2-26 A juror who serves in a municipal court of record is entitled to
2-27 the same reimbursement [compensation] for each day or portion of a
3-1 day served as provided for other jurors of Lubbock County under
3-2 Section 61.001.
3-3 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and
3-4 applies only to a person serving on a jury under a summons issued
3-5 on or after that date or responding to a jury summons issued on or
3-6 after that date.
3-7 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.