S.B. 737 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 737
By: Hinojosa
Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas law allows for several exemptions from jury service, but
not for active military personnel.  They are required to return to their
county of residence and go through the jury selection process.  As
proposed, S.B. 737 enables a person qualified to serve as a petit juror to
establish an exemption from jury service if the person is a member of the
United States military forces serving on active duty and deployed to a
location away from the person's home station and out of the person's
county of residence. 


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 


SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 62.106(a), Government Code, to authorize a
person qualified to serve as a petit juror to establish an exemption from
jury service if the person is a member of the United States military
forces serving on active duty and deployed to a location away from the
person's home station and out of the person's county of residence. 

SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2003.