SRC-BWC S.B. 1098 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1098
77R1591 KLA-DBy: Madla
Jurisprudence
4/3/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Current law prescribing the minimum compensation paid to jurors, set at
$6.00 per day, was based upon 1930s economics and last addressed by the
Texas Legislature in 1954.  Today, many counties in Texas continue to pay
jurors this minimum statutorily-required level of compensation.  As a
result, many low-income people resist jury duty, due primarily to the
financial impact and economic hardship that serving in a jury would create.
As proposed, S.B. 1098 amends the Government Code to allow for an increase
in jury duty pay from the $6.00 minimum set in 1954.  S.B. 1098 allows for
a juror in a county with a population of less than 25,000 to be reimbursed
for travel and lodging expenses at a rate equal to that of state employees.
This bill also requires a $10.00 fee to be paid for each civil case filed,
and requires a defendant who is convicted of, or who receives deferred
adjudication for, an offense in a district court, county court, county
court at law, or justice court, to pay a $10.00 fee. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Sections 61.001(a) and (b), Government Code, to provide
that each grand juror or petit juror in a certain court is entitled  to
receive as reimbursement for travel and other expense for each day or
fraction of each day served as a juror an amount not less than $6 nor more
than the amount for actual expenses of travel, lodging, and meals the juror
incurs in serving as a juror at the rate applicable to payment of those
expenses by the state for state employees in the performance of official
duties, if the juror serves in a county with a population of less than
25,000, or not less than $6 nor more than $50 if the juror serves in a
county with a population of 25,000 or more.  Provides that a person excused
from a petit jury is entitled to the same reimbursement.  Makes conforming
changes.   

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 61, Government Code, by adding Section 61.004,
as follows:   

Sec. 61.004.  JUROR REIMBURSEMENT FEE.  Requires the clerks of certain
enumerated courts located in a county with a population of less than 25,000
to collect a $10 fee, at the time of filing, as a cost of court in each
civil case which will be used to reimburse jurors or people who attend
court in response to a jury summons.  Requires the clerk to collect the fee
in the manner provided for other court costs and deliver the fee to the
treasurer or the person performing the treasurer's duties who is then
required to deposit the fee in the general fund of the county.  

SECTION 3.  Amends Chapter 102A, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding
Article 102.015, as follows: 

Art. 102.015.  COURT COSTS:  JUROR REIMBURSEMENT.  Requires a defendant who
is convicted of or receives deferred adjudication for an offense in certain
courts located in a county with a population of less than 25,000 to pay as
a cost of court a fee of $10.  Makes a  conforming change. 

SECTION 4.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 5.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.