| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the procedure for donating juror reimbursements. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Sections 61.003(a) and (e), Government Code, are |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) After jury service is concluded, each [Each] person who |
|
|
reported [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 treatment court program established by |
|
|
the commissioners court as provided by Chapter 124. |
|
|
(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a county that has |
|
|
adopted a system or method of payment authorized by Section |
|
|
113.048, Local Government Code, may provide a person who reported |
|
|
[reports] for jury service in the county an opportunity to donate |
|
|
all, or a specific part designated by the juror, of the juror's |
|
|
daily reimbursement by completing a self-executing application on a |
|
|
form prescribed by the commissioners court that is provided after |
|
|
jury service is concluded. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act applies only to a person summoned to |
|
|
appear for jury service who is required to appear on or after the |
|
|
effective date of this Act. A person summoned to appear for jury |
|
|
service who is required to appear before the effective date of this |
|
|
Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in |
|
|
effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |