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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an exemption from jury service for a person who is over |
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the age of 65. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 62.106(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A person qualified to serve as a petit juror may |
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establish an exemption from jury service if the person: |
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(1) is over 65 [75] years of age; |
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(2) has legal custody of a child younger than 12 years |
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of age and the person's service on the jury requires leaving the |
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child without adequate supervision; |
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(3) is a student of a public or private secondary |
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school; |
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(4) is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an |
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institution of higher education; |
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(5) is an officer or an employee of the senate, the |
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house of representatives, or any department, commission, board, |
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office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state |
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government; |
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(6) is summoned for service in a county with a |
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population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan |
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under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section |
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62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a petit |
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juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the date |
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the person is to appear for jury service; |
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(7) is the primary caretaker of a person who is unable |
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to care for himself or herself; |
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(8) except as provided by Subsection (b), is summoned |
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for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and |
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the person has served as a petit juror in the county during the |
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three-year period preceding the date the person is to appear for |
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jury service; or |
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(9) is a member of the United States military forces |
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serving on active duty and deployed to a location away from the |
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person's home station and out of the person's county of residence. |
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SECTION 2. Section 62.107(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) A person who is over 75 years of age and who files a |
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statement with a clerk of the court[,] as provided by Subsection |
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(a)[,] claiming an exemption under Section 62.106(a)(1) [because |
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the person is over 75 years of age,] may also claim the permanent |
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exemption [on that ground] authorized by Section 62.108 by |
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including in the statement filed with the clerk a declaration that |
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the person desires the permanent exemption. Promptly after a |
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statement claiming a permanent exemption on the basis of age is |
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filed, the clerk of the court with whom it is filed shall have a copy |
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delivered to the voter registrar of the county. |
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SECTION 3. Section 62.108(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A person who is over 75 years of age and who is entitled |
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to exemption from jury service under Section 62.106(a)(1) [because |
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the person is over 75 years of age] may establish a permanent |
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exemption on the [that] ground of being over 75 years of age as |
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provided by this section or Section 62.107. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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the establishment of an exemption from jury service for a person |
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summoned to appear for jury service on a date on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |