By:  Duncan                                            S.B. No. 395
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the requirement that the Texas Judicial Council conduct
 1-3     a statewide jury service study and report the results of the study
 1-4     to the legislature.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 71, Government Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Section 71.037 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 71.037.  JURY SERVICE STUDY.  (a)  The council shall
 1-9     conduct a study to examine jury service in each county of this
1-10     state.
1-11           (b)  In conducting the study, the council shall collect and
1-12     examine:
1-13                 (1)  information relating to reimbursement of expenses
1-14     for jurors and other incentives for jury service; and
1-15                 (2)  demographic and statistical information from each
1-16     county relating to:
1-17                       (A)  the county's prospective jurors; and
1-18                       (B)  each person who has been summoned for jury
1-19     service, has appeared for jury service, and  has served as a juror.
1-20           (c)  The council shall seek the assistance of each county and
1-21     the National Center for State Courts.
1-22           (d)  The council shall file a copy of the study, a summary of
1-23     the results of the study, and the council's recommendations with
1-24     the legislature not later than January 1, 2003.
1-25           (e)  This section expires March 1, 2003.
 2-1           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-2     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 2-3     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 2-4     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 2-5     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.