| 1 | 1 | | 82R461 CAE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Solomons H.B. No. 229 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the duties of the county tax assessor-collector and |
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| 8 | 8 | | voter registrar regarding exemptions from jury service. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Sections 62.107(b) and (c), Government Code, are |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (b) A person may also claim an exemption from jury service |
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| 13 | 13 | | under Section 62.106 by filing with the sheriff, voter registrar |
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| 14 | 14 | | [tax assessor-collector], or district or county clerk of the county |
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| 15 | 15 | | of the person's [his] residence a sworn statement that sets forth |
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| 16 | 16 | | the ground of and claims the exemption. The name of a person who |
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| 17 | 17 | | claims an [his] exemption by filing the sworn statement may not be |
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| 18 | 18 | | placed in the jury wheel for the ensuing year. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (c) A person who files a statement with a clerk of the court, |
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| 20 | 20 | | as provided by Subsection (a), claiming an exemption because the |
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| 21 | 21 | | person is over 70 years of age, may also claim the permanent |
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| 22 | 22 | | exemption on that ground authorized by Section 62.108 by including |
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| 23 | 23 | | in the statement filed with the clerk a declaration that the person |
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| 24 | 24 | | desires the permanent exemption. Promptly after a statement |
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| 25 | 25 | | claiming a permanent exemption on the basis of age is filed, the |
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| 26 | 26 | | clerk of the court with whom it is filed shall have a copy delivered |
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| 27 | 27 | | to the voter registrar of the county [tax assessor-collector]. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. Sections 62.108(b), (c), and (e), Government |
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| 29 | 29 | | Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) A person may claim a permanent exemption: |
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| 31 | 31 | | (1) by filing with the voter registrar of the county |
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| 32 | 32 | | [tax assessor-collector], by mail or personal delivery, a signed |
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| 33 | 33 | | statement affirming that the person is over 70 years of age and |
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| 34 | 34 | | desires a permanent exemption on that ground; or |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) in the manner provided by Section 62.107(c). |
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| 36 | 36 | | (c) The voter registrar of the county [tax |
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| 37 | 37 | | assessor-collector] shall maintain a current register indicating |
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| 38 | 38 | | the name of each person who has claimed and is entitled to a |
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| 39 | 39 | | permanent exemption from jury service because the person is over 70 |
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| 40 | 40 | | years of age. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (e) A person who has claimed a permanent exemption from jury |
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| 42 | 42 | | service because the person is over 70 years of age may rescind the |
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| 43 | 43 | | exemption at any time by filing a signed request for the rescission |
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| 44 | 44 | | with the voter registrar of the county [tax assessor-collector]. |
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| 45 | 45 | | Rescission of a permanent exemption does not affect the right of a |
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| 46 | 46 | | person who is over 70 years of age to claim permanent exemption at a |
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| 47 | 47 | | later time. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 3. Sections 62.109(c) and (e), Government Code, are |
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| 49 | 49 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 50 | 50 | | (c) The clerk of the district court shall promptly notify |
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| 51 | 51 | | the voter registrar of the county [tax assessor-collector] of the |
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| 52 | 52 | | name and address of each person exempted and state whether the |
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| 53 | 53 | | exemption is permanent or for a specified period. The voter |
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| 54 | 54 | | registrar [tax assessor-collector] shall maintain a current |
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| 55 | 55 | | register showing separately the name and address of each person |
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| 56 | 56 | | permanently exempt from jury service under this section and the |
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| 57 | 57 | | name and address of each person exempt from jury service under this |
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| 58 | 58 | | section for a specified period. |
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| 59 | 59 | | (e) A person exempt from jury service under this section may |
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| 60 | 60 | | rescind the exemption at any time by filing a signed request for the |
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| 61 | 61 | | rescission with the voter registrar of the county [tax |
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| 62 | 62 | | assessor-collector]. |
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| 63 | 63 | | SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 64 | 64 | | to a person claiming an exemption from jury service or rescinding an |
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| 65 | 65 | | exemption from jury service on or after the effective date of this |
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| 66 | 66 | | Act. A person claiming an exemption from jury service or rescinding |
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| 67 | 67 | | an exemption from jury service before the effective date of this Act |
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| 68 | 68 | | is governed by the law in effect on the date the person claims or |
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| 69 | 69 | | rescinds the exemption, and the former law is continued in effect |
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| 70 | 70 | | for that purpose. |
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| 71 | 71 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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