1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to termination of an employee who performs jury duty;
 1-3     providing a criminal penalty.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 122.002, Civil Practice and Remedies
 1-6     Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and by adding
 1-7     Subsection (c) to read as follows:
 1-8           (a)  A person who is injured because of a violation of this
 1-9     chapter is entitled to reinstatement to his former position and to
1-10     damages in[, but the damages may not exceed] an amount not less
1-11     than an amount equal to one year's [six months'] compensation nor
1-12     more than an amount equal to five years' compensation at the rate
1-13     at which the person was compensated when summoned for jury service.
1-14           (c)  An action for damages brought by a person under
1-15     Subsection (a) must be brought not later than the second
1-16     anniversary of the date on which the person served as a juror.
1-17           SECTION 2.  Chapter 122, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is
1-18     amended by adding Sections 122.0021 and 122.0022 to read as
1-19     follows:
1-20           Sec. 122.0021.  CRIMINAL PENALTY.  (a)  A person commits an
1-21     offense if the person violates Section 122.001.
1-22           (b)  An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
1-23           Sec. 122.0022.  CONTEMPT.  In addition to and without
1-24     limiting any other sanction or remedy available under this chapter
 2-1     or other law, a court may punish by contempt an employer who
 2-2     terminates, threatens to terminate, penalizes, or threatens to
 2-3     penalize an employee because the employee performs jury duty.
 2-4           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
 2-5     applies only to an employee termination or act by an employer to
 2-6     improperly influence an employee that occurs on or after that date.
 2-7     A termination or act by an employer to improperly influence an
 2-8     employee that occurs before that date is governed by the law in
 2-9     effect on the date the termination or act occurred, and the former
2-10     law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-11           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-12     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-13     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-14     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-15     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 1324 was passed by the House on April
         23, 1999, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1324 on May 27, 1999, by a non-record
         vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 1324 was passed by the Senate, with
         amendments, on May 25, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor