By Wilson H.B. No. 701
76R1158 JMC-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the exemption from jury service of a sole proprietor
1-3 and of certain employees of a business entity.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 62.106, Government Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 62.106. EXEMPTION FROM JURY SERVICE. A person
1-8 qualified to serve as a petit juror may establish an exemption from
1-9 jury service if the person:
1-10 (1) is over 70 years of age;
1-11 (2) has legal custody of a child [or children] younger
1-12 than 10 years of age and the person's service on the jury requires
1-13 leaving the child [or children] without adequate supervision;
1-14 (3) is a student of a public or private secondary
1-15 school;
1-16 (4) is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at
1-17 an institution of higher education;
1-18 (5) is an officer or an employee of the senate, the
1-19 house of representatives, or any department, commission, board,
1-20 office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state
1-21 government;
1-22 (6) is summoned for service in a county with a
1-23 population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan
1-24 under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section
2-1 62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a
2-2 petit juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the
2-3 date the person is to appear for jury service; [or]
2-4 (7) is the primary caretaker of a person who is an
2-5 invalid unable to care for himself;
2-6 (8) is the owner of a sole proprietorship and the
2-7 person's service on the jury requires the person to close the
2-8 business; or
2-9 (9) is an employee of a business entity and the entity
2-10 does not pay the person wages while the person is absent from work
2-11 because of jury service.
2-12 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
2-13 applies only to persons summoned to appear on or after that date
2-14 for jury service.
2-15 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.