Amend HB 3650 by striking all below the enacting clause and
substitute the following:
      SECTION 1.  Section 61.001, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
      Sec. 61.001.  REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES OF JURORS. (a)  Each
grand juror or petit juror in a civil or criminal case in a
district court, criminal district court, county court, county court
at law, or justice court is entitled to receive as reimbursement
for travel and other expenses an amount not less than $6 nor more
than $50 for each day or fraction of each day served as a juror.
      (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), a <A> person who
responds to the process of a court but is excused from petit jury
service by the court for any cause after the person's <his> voir
dire examination is entitled to receive as reimbursement for travel
and other expenses an amount not less than $6 nor more than $50 for
each day or fraction of each day in attendance in court in response
to the process.
      (c)  The commissioners court of each county shall determine
annually the daily reimbursement of expenses for jurors.  Except as
provided by Subsection (d), the <The> reimbursement must be within
the minimum and maximum amounts prescribed by this section and paid
out of the jury fund of the county.  In a specific case, the
presiding judge, with the agreement of the parties involved or
their attorneys, may increase the daily reimbursement for jurors in
that case to an amount not to exceed the maximum amount prescribed
by this section.  The difference between the usual daily
reimbursement and the reimbursement for jurors in a specific case
shall be paid, in equal amounts, by the parties involved in the
case.
      (d)  The commissioners court of a county may reduce or
eliminate the daily reimbursement prescribed by this section for
persons who attend court for only one day or a fraction of one day.
The funds retained by a county as a result of reducing or
eliminating reimbursement as provided by this subsection may only
be used to increase the daily reimbursement prescribed by this
section for jurors and for persons who attend court for more than
one day.
      (e)  A check drawn on the jury fund by the district clerk of
the county may be transferred by endorsement and delivery and is
receivable at par from the holder for all county taxes.
      (f) <(e)>  A reimbursement for expenses under this section is
not a property right of a juror or prospective juror for purposes
of Chapters 72 and 74, Property Code.  If a check or other
instrument representing a reimbursement under this section is not
presented for payment or redeemed before the 90th day after it is
issued:
            (1)  the instrument is considered forfeited and is
void; and
            (2)  the money represented by the instrument may be
placed in the county's jury fund, the county's general fund, or any
other fund in which county funds can be legally placed, at the
discretion of the commissioners court.
      SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
applies only to a person responding to a jury summons issued on or
after that date.
      SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby
suspended.