SRC-VRA H.B. 3070 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 3070
78R9599 QS-DBy: Casteel (Averitt)
Jurisprudence
5/20/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the commissioners court of each county sets the daily
reimbursement paid to jurors.  In Opinion No. JC-0568, the attorney
general held that reimbursement rates may not vary between grand and petit
jurors, and may not vary between petit jurors based on whether the jurors
serve in justice, county or district courts. 

There are sound reasons why counties may desire to set different
reimbursement rates for grand and petit jurors, and for jurors who serve
in different levels of courts.  For instance, grand jurors serve for a
period of months, and some commissioners courts believe such individuals
should receive a higher rate of reimbursement than petit jurors who,
generally, serve for far shorter periods.   Petit jurors who serve in
justice courts generally serve for shorter periods of time, and may have
access to free parking not available to jurors who serve in county and
district courts.   

H.B. 3070 permits, but does not require, commissioners courts to set
different rates of reimbursement for grand and petit jurors, and for petit
jurors based on the whether the jurors serve in justice, county or
district courts. 


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 Section 61.001, Government Code, by amending Subsection
(c) and adding Subsection (c-1), as follows: 

(c)  Authorizes the commissioners court to set different daily
reimbursements for certain jurors. 

 (c-1)  Created from existing text.

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.