By:  Casteel (Senate Sponsor - Averitt)                           H.B. No. 3070
	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2003; 
May 9, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on 
Jurisprudence; May 22, 2003, reported favorably by the following 
vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 22, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to reimbursement for expenses incurred by jurors.                  
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 61.001, Government Code, is amended by 
amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as 
follows:
	(c)  The commissioners court of each county shall determine 
annually the daily reimbursement of expenses for jurors.  Except as 
provided by Subsection (d), the reimbursement must be within the 
minimum and maximum amounts prescribed by this section and paid out 
of the jury fund of the county.  The commissioners court may set 
different daily reimbursements for:
		(1)  grand and petit jurors; or                                        
		(2)  different petit jurors based on:                                  
			(A)  whether a juror serves in a justice, county, 
or district court; or
			(B)  any other reasonable criteria determined by 
the commissioners court.
	(c-1)  In a specific case, the presiding judge, with the 
agreement of the parties involved or their attorneys, may increase 
the daily reimbursement for jurors in that case to an amount not to 
exceed the maximum amount prescribed by this section.  The 
difference between the usual daily reimbursement and the 
reimbursement for jurors in a specific case shall be paid, in equal 
amounts, by the parties involved in the case.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



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