By Walker H.B. No. 536
76R459 KLA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the exemption of certain persons from grand jury
1-3 service.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Article 19.25, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Art. 19.25. EXCUSES FROM SERVICE. Any person summoned who
1-8 does not possess the requisite qualifications shall be excused by
1-9 the court from serving. The following qualified persons may be
1-10 excused from grand jury service:
1-11 (1) a person older than 70 [65] years;
1-12 (2) a person responsible for the care of a child
1-13 younger than 18 years;
1-14 (3) a student of a public or private secondary school;
1-15 (4) a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an
1-16 institution of higher education; and
1-17 (5) any other person that the court determines has a
1-18 reasonable excuse from service.
1-19 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-20 applies only to an exemption from grand jury service for persons
1-21 summoned on or after that date to appear for service. An exemption
1-22 from grand jury service for persons summoned before the effective
1-23 date of this Act to appear for service is covered by the law in
1-24 effect when the person was summoned, and that law is continued in
2-1 effect for that purpose.
2-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.