By Madla S.B. No. 1098
77R1591 KLA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to juror reimbursement in certain counties.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Sections 61.001(a) and (b), Government Code, are
1-5 amended to read as follows:
1-6 (a) Each grand juror or petit juror in a civil or criminal
1-7 case in a district court, criminal district court, county court,
1-8 county court at law, or justice court is entitled to receive as
1-9 reimbursement for travel and other expenses for each day or
1-10 fraction of each day served as a juror an amount:
1-11 (1) not less than $6 nor more than the amount for
1-12 actual expenses of travel, lodging, and meals the juror incurs in
1-13 serving as a juror at the rate applicable to payment of those
1-14 expenses by the state for state employees in the performance of
1-15 official duties, if the juror serves in a county with a population
1-16 of less than 25,000; or
1-17 (2) not less than $6 nor more than $50, if the juror
1-18 serves in a county with a population of 25,000 or more [for each
1-19 day or fraction of each day served as a juror].
1-20 (b) Except as provided by Subsection (d), a person who
1-21 responds to the process of a court but is excused from petit jury
1-22 service by the court for any cause after the person's voir dire
1-23 examination is entitled to receive as reimbursement for travel and
1-24 other expenses for each day or fraction of each day the person
2-1 attends court in response to the process an amount:
2-2 (1) not less than $6 nor more than the amount for
2-3 actual expenses of travel, lodging, and meals the person incurs in
2-4 attending court in response to the process at the rate applicable
2-5 to payment of those expenses by the state for state employees in
2-6 performance of official duties, if the person attends court in
2-7 response to the process in a county with a population of less than
2-8 25,000; or
2-9 (2) not less than $6 nor more than $50, if the person
2-10 attends court in response to the process in a county with a
2-11 population of 25,000 or more [for each day or fraction of each day
2-12 in attendance in court in response to the process].
2-13 SECTION 2. Chapter 61, Government Code, is amended by adding
2-14 Section 61.004 to read as follows:
2-15 Sec. 61.004. JUROR REIMBURSEMENT FEE. (a) The clerk of each
2-16 district court, county court, county court at law, and justice
2-17 court located in a county with a population of less than 25,000
2-18 shall collect a fee of $10 as a cost of court in each civil case
2-19 filed with the clerk. The fee shall be collected at the time of
2-20 filing.
2-21 (b) The clerk shall collect the fee in the manner provided
2-22 for other court costs and shall deliver the fee to the treasurer,
2-23 or the person who performs the duties of the treasurer, of the
2-24 county in which the court is located. The county treasurer, or the
2-25 person who performs the duties of the county treasurer, shall
2-26 deposit the fees received in the general fund of the county to be
2-27 used only to provide reimbursement for expenses incurred by jurors
3-1 and persons who attend court in response to jury summons in a
3-2 district court, county court, county court at law, or justice court
3-3 in the county.
3-4 SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 102, Code of Criminal
3-5 Procedure, is amended by adding Article 102.015 to read as follows:
3-6 Art. 102.015. COURT COSTS: JUROR REIMBURSEMENT. (a) A
3-7 defendant who is convicted of or who receives deferred adjudication
3-8 for an offense in a district court, county court, county court at
3-9 law, or justice court located in a county with a population of less
3-10 than 25,000 shall pay as a cost of court a fee of $10.
3-11 (b) The clerk of each court shall collect the fee in the
3-12 manner provided for other court costs and shall deliver the fee to
3-13 the treasurer, or the person who performs the duties of the
3-14 treasurer, of the county in which the court is located. The county
3-15 treasurer, or the person who performs the duties of the county
3-16 treasurer, shall deposit the fees received in the general fund of
3-17 the county to be used only to provide reimbursement for expenses
3-18 incurred by jurors and persons who attend court in response to jury
3-19 summons in a district court, county court, county court at law, or
3-20 justice court in the county.
3-21 SECTION 4. (a) The change in law made by Section 2 of this
3-22 Act applies only to filing fees for civil cases filed on or after
3-23 the effective date of this Act.
3-24 (b) The change in law made by Section 3 of this Act applies
3-25 only to a conviction or a grant of deferred adjudication for an
3-26 offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. A
3-27 conviction or a grant of deferred adjudication for an offense
4-1 committed before the effective date of this Act is covered by the
4-2 law in effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is
4-3 continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this
4-4 subsection, an offense was committed before the effective date of
4-5 this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
4-6 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.