1-1 By: Harris S.B. No. 136
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 8, 1999; January 28, 1999,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;
1-4 February 11, 1999, reported favorably, as amended, by the following
1-5 vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; February 11, 1999, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: Harris
1-7 Amend S.B. No. 136 as follows:
1-8 (1) In SECTION 1, Subsection (a), Section 61.003, Government
1-9 Code (page 1, Introduced version), strike lines 41 through 44 and
1-10 substitute
1-11 "(2) the child welfare board of the county appointed
1-12 under Section 264.005 [service fund under Chapter 264], Family
1-13 Code;"
1-14 (2) In SECTION 1, Subsection (b), Section 61.003, Government
1-15 Code (page 1, line 51, Introduced version), between "treasurer" and
1-16 "shall" insert "or a designated county employee"
1-17 (3) In SECTION 1, Subdivision (2), Subsection (c), Section
1-18 61.003, Government Code (page 1, line 62, Introduced version),
1-19 strike ";"
1-20 (4) In SECTION 1, Subsection (c), Section 61.003, Government
1-21 Code (page 1, Introduced version), strike line 63 through page 2,
1-22 line 3, and substitute "[send all donations made under Subsection
1-23 (a)(2) to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the child
1-24 welfare service fund in the state treasury]; and"
1-25 (5) In SECTION 1, Subsection (c), Section 61.003, Government
1-26 Code (page 2, line 4, Introduced version), strike "(4) [(3)]" and
1-27 substitute "(3)"
1-28 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-29 AN ACT
1-30 relating to donations of juror reimbursements.
1-31 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-32 SECTION 1. Section 61.003, Government Code, is amended to
1-33 read as follows:
1-34 Sec. 61.003. DONATION OF REIMBURSEMENT. (a) Each
1-35 prospective juror reporting for jury service shall be personally
1-36 provided a form letter that when signed by the prospective juror
1-37 directs the county treasurer to donate all of the prospective
1-38 juror's reimbursement for jury service to:
1-39 (1) the compensation to victims of crime fund under
1-40 Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure;
1-41 (2) the child welfare board of the county appointed
1-42 under Section 264.005, Family Code, or, if the county does not have
1-43 a child welfare board, the child welfare service fund under Chapter
1-44 264, Family Code;
1-45 (3) any program selected by the commissioners court
1-46 that is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization and
1-47 that provides shelter and services to victims of family violence;
1-48 or
1-49 (4) any other program approved by the commissioners
1-50 court of the county.
1-51 (b) The county treasurer shall collect each form letter
1-52 directing the county treasurer to donate a prospective juror's
1-53 reimbursement for jury service.
1-54 (c) The county treasurer shall:
1-55 (1) send all donations made under Subsection (a)(1) to
1-56 the comptroller, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the
1-57 attorney general, for deposit to the credit of the compensation to
1-58 victims of crime fund;
1-59 (2) deposit donations made to the county child welfare
1-60 board under Subsection (a)(2) in a fund established by the county
1-61 to be used by the child welfare board in a manner authorized by the
1-62 commissioners court of the county;
1-63 (3) send all donations made to the child welfare
2-1 service fund under Subsection (a)(2) to the comptroller for deposit
2-2 to the credit of the child welfare service fund in the state
2-3 treasury; and
2-4 (4) [(3)] send all donations made under Subsection
2-5 (a)(3) or (a)(4) directly to the program specified on the form
2-6 letter signed by the prospective juror.
2-7 (d) [(c)] Notwithstanding this section [Subsections (a) and
2-8 (b)], a juror reimbursement donation program established before
2-9 January 1, 1995, may solicit juror donations and provide all funds
2-10 collected in the name of that program to the charities served by
2-11 that program on January 1, 1995.
2-12 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
2-13 applies only to donations from jurors appearing in response to a
2-14 summons issued on or after that date.
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.
2-20 * * * * *