By Naishtat H.B. No. 2294
77R5900 KLA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the exemption of certain persons from jury service.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 62.106(a), Government Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 (a) A person qualified to serve as a petit juror may
1-7 establish an exemption from jury service if the person:
1-8 (1) is over 70 years of age;
1-9 (2) has legal custody of a child younger than 12 [10]
1-10 years of age and the person's service on the jury requires leaving
1-11 the child without adequate supervision;
1-12 (3) is a student of a public or private secondary
1-13 school;
1-14 (4) is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at
1-15 an institution of higher education;
1-16 (5) is an officer or an employee of the senate, the
1-17 house of representatives, or any department, commission, board,
1-18 office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state
1-19 government;
1-20 (6) is summoned for service in a county with a
1-21 population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan
1-22 under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section
1-23 62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a
1-24 petit juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the
2-1 date the person is to appear for jury service;
2-2 (7) is the primary caretaker of a person who is an
2-3 invalid unable to care for himself; or
2-4 (8) except as provided by Subsection (b), is summoned
2-5 for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and
2-6 the person has served as a petit juror in the county during the
2-7 three-year period preceding the date the person is to appear for
2-8 jury service.
2-9 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
2-10 applies only to an exemption from jury service for a person
2-11 summoned to appear for service who is summoned on or after that
2-12 date. An exemption from jury service for a person summoned to
2-13 appear for service who is summoned before the effective date of
2-14 this Act is covered by the law in effect when the person was
2-15 summoned, and the former law is continued in effect for that
2-16 purpose.