By Solomons                                             H.B. No. 82
         76R1453 MLS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to selection and service of jurors in certain counties.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 62.001, Government Code, is amended by
 1-5     adding Subsection (j) to read as follows:
 1-6           (j)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), in a county with a
 1-7     population of 250,000 or more, the names of persons who are
 1-8     summoned for jury service in the  county and who appear for service
 1-9     must be removed from the jury wheel and may not be maintained in
1-10     the jury wheel until the third anniversary of the date the person
1-11     appeared for service.  This subsection applies regardless of
1-12     whether the person served on a jury as a result of the summons.
1-13           SECTION 2.  Section 62.106, Government Code, is amended to
1-14     read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 62.106.  EXEMPTION FROM JURY SERVICE.  A person
1-16     qualified to serve as a petit juror may establish an exemption from
1-17     jury service if the person:
1-18                 (1)  is over 70 years of age;
1-19                 (2)  has legal custody of a child or children younger
1-20     than 10 years of age and the person's service on the jury requires
1-21     leaving the child or children without adequate supervision;
1-22                 (3)  is a student of a public or private secondary
1-23     school;
1-24                 (4)  is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at
 2-1     an institution of higher education;
 2-2                 (5)  is an officer or an employee of the senate, the
 2-3     house of representatives, or any department, commission, board,
 2-4     office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state
 2-5     government;
 2-6                 (6)  is summoned for service in a county with a
 2-7     population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan
 2-8     under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section
 2-9     62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person  has served as a
2-10     petit juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the
2-11     date the person is to appear for jury service; [or]
2-12                 (7)  is the primary caretaker of a person who is an
2-13     invalid unable to care for himself; or
2-14                 (8)  is summoned for service in a county with a
2-15     population of at least 250,000 and the person has served as a petit
2-16     juror in the county during the three-year period preceding the date
2-17     the person is to appear for jury service.
2-18           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-19           SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
2-20     a person summoned to appear for jury service on or after the
2-21     effective date of this Act.
2-22           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-25     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-26     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.