75R10316 MLS-D
By Dutton H.B. No. 1504
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1504:
By Gutierrez C.S.H.B. No. 1504
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the reimbursement of jurors.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Sections 61.001(a), (b), and (c), Government
1-5 Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-6 (a) Each grand juror or petit juror in a civil or criminal
1-7 case in a district court, criminal district court, county court,
1-8 county court at law, or justice court is entitled to receive as
1-9 reimbursement for travel and other expenses an amount not less than
1-10 $6 nor more than $50 [$30] for each day or fraction of each day
1-11 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 $50 [$30] for each day or fraction of each day in attendance
1-17 in court in response to the process.
1-18 (c) The commissioners court of each county shall determine
1-19 annually the daily reimbursement of expenses for jurors. The
1-20 reimbursement must be within the minimum and maximum amounts
1-21 prescribed by this section and paid out of the jury fund of the
1-22 county. In a specific case, the presiding judge, with the
1-23 agreement of the parties involved or their attorneys, may increase
1-24 the daily reimbursement for jurors in that case to an amount not to
2-1 exceed the maximum amount prescribed by this section. The
2-2 difference between the usual daily reimbursement and the
2-3 reimbursement for jurors in a specific case shall be paid, in equal
2-4 amounts, by the parties involved in the case.
2-5 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and
2-6 applies only to a person serving on a jury under a summons issued
2-7 on or after that date or responding to a jury summons issued on or
2-8 after that date.
2-9 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.