By: Harris S.B. No. 136
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to donations of juror reimbursements.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. Section 61.003, Government Code, is amended to
1-4 read as follows:
1-5 Sec. 61.003. DONATION OF REIMBURSEMENT. (a) Each
1-6 prospective juror reporting for jury service shall be personally
1-7 provided a form letter that when signed by the prospective juror
1-8 directs the county treasurer to donate all of the prospective
1-9 juror's reimbursement for jury service to:
1-10 (1) the compensation to victims of crime fund under
1-11 Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure;
1-12 (2) the child welfare board of the county appointed
1-13 under Section 264.005 [service fund under Chapter 264], Family
1-14 Code;
1-15 (3) any program selected by the commissioners court
1-16 that is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization and
1-17 that provides shelter and services to victims of family violence;
1-18 or
1-19 (4) any other program approved by the commissioners
1-20 court of the county.
1-21 (b) The county treasurer or a designated county employee
1-22 shall collect each form letter directing the county treasurer to
1-23 donate a prospective juror's reimbursement for jury service.
1-24 (c) The county treasurer shall:
2-1 (1) send all donations made under Subsection (a)(1) to
2-2 the comptroller, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the
2-3 attorney general, for deposit to the credit of the compensation to
2-4 victims of crime fund;
2-5 (2) deposit donations made to the county child welfare
2-6 board under Subsection (a)(2) in a fund established by the county
2-7 to be used by the child welfare board in a manner authorized by the
2-8 commissioners court of the county [send all donations made under
2-9 Subsection (a)(2) to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of
2-10 the child welfare service fund in the state treasury]; and
2-11 (3) send all donations made under Subsection (a)(3) or
2-12 (a)(4) directly to the program specified on the form letter signed
2-13 by the prospective juror.
2-14 (d) [(c)] Notwithstanding this section [Subsections (a) and
2-15 (b)], a juror reimbursement donation program established before
2-16 January 1, 1995, may solicit juror donations and provide all funds
2-17 collected in the name of that program to the charities served by
2-18 that program on January 1, 1995.
2-19 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
2-20 applies only to donations from jurors appearing in response to a
2-21 summons issued on or after that date.
2-22 SECTION 3. 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.