By: Blanco (Senate Sponsor - Uresti) H.B. No. 3996

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 18, 2015; May 18, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations; May 21, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0, 1 present not voting; May 21, 2015, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE VOTE

YeaNayAbsentPNV

CampbellX

BurtonX

BirdwellX

GarciaX

HallX

LucioX

RodríguezX

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the donation of juror reimbursements.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 61.003(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Each person who reports for jury service shall be personally provided a form letter that when signed by the person directs the county treasurer to donate all, or a specific amount designated by the person, of the person's daily reimbursement under this chapter to:

(1) the compensation to victims of crime fund under Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure;

(2) the child welfare, child protective services, or child services board of the county appointed under Section 264.005, Family Code, that serves abused and neglected children;

(3) any program selected by the commissioners court that is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization and that provides shelter and services to victims of family violence; [or]

(4) any other program approved by the commissioners court of the county, including a program established under Article 56.04(f), Code of Criminal Procedure, that offers psychological counseling to jurors in criminal cases involving graphic evidence or testimony; or

(5) a veterans court program established by the commissioners court as provided by Chapter 124.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to donations from jurors appearing in response to a summons issued on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.

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