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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to postponement of jury service in certain counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 62, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 62.0144 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 62.0144. POSTPONEMENT OF JURY SERVICE IN CERTAIN |
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COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a county: |
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(1) with a population of 1.4 million or more; and |
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(2) that has within its boundaries at least two |
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municipalities that each have a population of 300,000 or more. |
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(b) A person summoned for jury service may request a |
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postponement of the person's initial appearance for jury service. |
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The person may request the postponement by contacting the clerk of |
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the court, or the court's designee, in person, in writing, or by |
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telephone before the date on which the person is summoned to appear. |
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(c) On receipt of a request under Subsection (b), the clerk |
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of the court or the court's designee shall grant the person a |
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postponement if: |
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(1) the person has not been granted a postponement in |
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that county since the date on which the jury wheel from which the |
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person was selected to appear was most recently reconstituted; and |
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(2) the person and the clerk or the court's designee |
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determine a substitute date on which the person will appear for jury |
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service that is not later than six months after the date on which |
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the person was originally summoned to appear. |
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(d) A person who receives a postponement under Subsection |
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(c) may request subsequent postponements in the manner described by |
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Subsection (b). The clerk of the court or the court's designee may |
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approve a subsequent postponement if the clerk or the court's |
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designee determines that the person has a legitimate reason for |
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requesting the postponement. Before the clerk or the court's |
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designee may grant the subsequent postponement, the person and the |
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clerk or the court's designee must determine a substitute date on |
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which the person will appear for jury service that is not later than |
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six months after the date on which the person was to appear after |
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the later of: |
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(1) the postponement under Subsection (c); or |
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(2) the most recent postponement granted under this |
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subsection. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a person summoned to appear for jury service who is required to |
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appear on or after the effective date of this Act. A person |
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summoned to appear for jury service who is required to appear before |
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the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on |
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the date the person is required to appear, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |