BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 2518

By: Springer

County Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties note that, while a county is required to compensate a juror a minimum of $40 for each day the juror serves after the juror's first day in response to a process of the court, the state is only required to reimburse a county $34 of that amount, leaving an unfunded mandate of at least $6 per day for each juror.  C.S.H.B. 2518 seeks to eliminate this unfunded mandate while maintaining a county's flexibility to pay a juror a higher applicable rate.

 

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. 2518 amends the Government Code to require the state to reimburse a county in the appropriate amount as provided in the General Appropriations Act for the reimbursement paid to a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court, rather than requiring the state to reimburse a county $34 a day for the reimbursement paid to such a person for each day or fraction of each day after the first day in attendance in court in response to the process.  The bill changes the minimum amount of reimbursement to which a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court is entitled for each day or fraction of each day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process after the first day and discharges the person's duty for that day from $40 to the amount provided as the state's reimbursement to a county.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2013.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 2518 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and highlighted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

INTRODUCED

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1.  Section 61.001(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court is entitled to receive as reimbursement for travel and other expenses an amount:

(1)  not less than $6 for the first day or fraction of the first day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process and discharges the person's duty for that day; and

(2)  not less than $34 [$40] for each day or fraction of each day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process after the first day and discharges the person's duty for that day.

 

SECTION 1.  Section 61.001(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court is entitled to receive as reimbursement for travel and other expenses an amount:

(1)  not less than $6 for the first day or fraction of the first day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process and discharges the person's duty for that day; and

(2)  not less than the amount provided as reimbursement under Section 61.0015(a) [$40] for each day or fraction of each day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process after the first day and discharges the person's duty for that day.

 

SECTION 2.  Section 61.0015(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a)  The state shall reimburse a county in the minimum amount required [$34 a day for the reimbursement paid] under Section 61.001 for any reimbursement paid to a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court [for each day or fraction of each day after the first day in attendance in court in response to the process].

 

SECTION 2.  Section 61.0015(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a)  The state shall reimburse a county in the appropriate amount as provided in the General Appropriations Act [$34 a day] for the reimbursement paid under Section 61.001 to a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court [for each day or fraction of each day after the first day in attendance in court in response to the process].

 

SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

 

SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.