78R4433 SLO-D

By:  Elkins                                                       H.B. No. 1294



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the exemption from jury service of certain persons with 
legal custody of a child.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 62.106(a), Government Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	(a)  A person qualified to serve as a petit juror may 
establish an exemption from jury service if the person:
		(1)  is over 70 years of age;                                                 
		(2)  has legal custody of a child younger than 15 [10] 
years of age and the person's service on the jury requires leaving 
the child without adequate supervision;
		(3)  is a student of a public or private secondary 
school;                  
		(4)  is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an 
institution of higher education;
		(5)  is an officer or an employee of the senate, the 
house of representatives, or any department, commission, board, 
office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state 
government;
		(6)  is summoned for service in a county with a 
population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan 
under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section 
62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a petit 
juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the date 
the person is to appear for jury service;
		(7)  is the primary caretaker of a person who is an 
invalid unable to care for himself;  or
		(8)  except as provided by Subsection (b), is summoned 
for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and 
the person has served as a petit juror in the county during the 
three-year period preceding the date the person is to appear for 
jury service.
	SECTION 2.  Section 62.106(a), Government Code, as amended 
by this Act, applies only to exemptions for jury service for a 
person required to appear for jury service by a summons made on or 
after September 1, 2003.  The exemption of a person required to 
appear for jury service by a summons made before September 1, 2003, 
is covered by the law in effect on the date the summons is made, and 
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.