86R297 DMS-D
By: Herrero, Wu, et al. H.B. No. 354
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to exemption of certain firefighters and police officers
from jury service.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 62.106(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) A person qualified to serve as a petit juror may
establish an exemption from jury service if the person:
(1) is over 70 years of age;
(2) has legal custody of a child younger than 12 years
of age and the person's service on the jury requires leaving the
child without adequate supervision;
(3) is a student of a public or private secondary
school;
(4) is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an
institution of higher education;
(5) is an officer or an employee of the senate, the
house of representatives, or any department, commission, board,
office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state
government;
(6) is summoned for service in a county with a
population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan
under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section
62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a petit
juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the date
the person is to appear for jury service;
(7) is the primary caretaker of a person who is unable
to care for himself or herself;
(8) except as provided by Subsection (b), is summoned
for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and
the person has served as a petit juror in the county during the
three-year period preceding the date the person is to appear for
jury service; [or]
(9) is a member of the United States military forces
serving on active duty and deployed to a location away from the
person's home station and out of the person's county of residence;
(10) is a firefighter, including a fire chief, who is
a permanent, paid employee of the fire department of a municipality
or county or of a special district or authority that provides
firefighting services; or
(11) is a police officer, including a police chief,
who is a permanent, paid employee of the police department of a
municipality or county.
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
the establishment of an exemption from jury service for a person
summoned to appear for jury service on a date on or after the
effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.