BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1665

By: King, Phil

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, the maximum penalty imposed on defaulting jurors is $100.  Many judges have voiced concern that this is not a sufficient amount to deter this behavior. 

C.S.H.B. 1665 provides that the maximum penalty that may be levied on a juror who defaults on jury duty is $500.

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.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1665 amends the Government Code to increase from $10 to $100 the minimum fine, and from $100 to $500 the maximum fine, for a lawfully notified petit juror who fails to attend court in obedience to the notice without reasonable excuse or files a false claim of exemption from jury service.

C.S.H.B. 1665 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to increase from $10 to $100 the minimum fine, and from $100 to $500 the maximum fine, for a legally summoned petit or grand juror who fails to attend without a reasonable excuse, or, as in the case of a petit juror, files a false claim of exemption from jury services.  The bill increases the fine for a summoned juror who is not present when a criminal case is called for trial and the parties have announced ready for trial by removing the provision that sets the maximum fine amount at $50, and replacing it with an amount that may range from not less than $100 nor more than $500. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1665 differs from the original by decreasing the maximum penalty that may be levied on a juror who defaults on jury duty from $1,000 to $500.