By: Lucio S.B. No. 456
 
 
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.  Sections 61.003(a) and (c), Government Code, are
  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
  established under Subchapter J, Chapter 56B, 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;
               (4)  any other program approved by the commissioners
  court of the county, including a program established under Article
  56A.205, Code of Criminal Procedure, that offers psychological
  counseling in criminal cases involving graphic evidence or
  testimony; [or]
               (5)  a veterans court program established by the
  commissioners court as provided by Chapter 124; or
               (6)  a veterans county service office established by
  the commissioners court as provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 434.
         (c)  The county treasurer shall:
               (1)  send all donations made under Subsection (a)(1) to
  the comptroller, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the
  attorney general, for deposit to the credit of the compensation to
  victims of crime fund;
               (2)  deposit donations made to the county child welfare
  board under Subsection (a)(2) in a fund established by the county to
  be used by the child welfare board in a manner authorized by the
  commissioners court of the county; and
               (3)  send all donations made under Subsection (a)(3),
  [or] (a)(4), or (a)(6) directly to the program or office, as
  applicable, specified on the form letter signed by the person who
  reported for jury service.
         SECTION 2.  Section 434.032, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  The commissioners court of a county that maintains an
  office:
               (1)  may not consider a juror's donation to the office
  of the juror's daily reimbursement under Section 61.003 for
  purposes of determining the county's budget for the office; and
               (2)  may use donations described by Subdivision (1)
  only to supplement, rather than supplant, amounts budgeted by the
  county for the office.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.