| 4 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 7 | | relating to the procedure for donating juror reimbursements. |
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| 6 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 7 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Sections 61.003(a) and (e), Government Code, are |
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| 8 | 10 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 9 | 11 | | (a) After jury service is concluded, each [Each] person who |
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| 10 | 12 | | reported [reports] for jury service shall be personally provided a |
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| 11 | 13 | | form letter that when signed by the person directs the county |
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| 12 | 14 | | treasurer to donate all, or a specific amount designated by the |
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| 13 | 15 | | person, of the person's daily reimbursement under this chapter to: |
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| 14 | 16 | | (1) the compensation to victims of crime fund |
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| 15 | 17 | | established under Subchapter J, Chapter 56B, Code of Criminal |
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| 16 | 18 | | Procedure; |
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| 17 | 19 | | (2) the child welfare, child protective services, or |
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| 18 | 20 | | child services board of the county appointed under Section 264.005, |
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| 19 | 21 | | Family Code, that serves abused and neglected children; |
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| 20 | 22 | | (3) any program selected by the commissioners court |
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| 21 | 23 | | that is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization and |
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| 22 | 24 | | that provides shelter and services to victims of family violence; |
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| 23 | 25 | | (4) any other program approved by the commissioners |
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| 24 | 26 | | court of the county, including a program established under Article |
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| 25 | 27 | | 56A.205, Code of Criminal Procedure, that offers psychological |
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| 26 | 28 | | counseling in criminal cases involving graphic evidence or |
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| 27 | 29 | | testimony; or |
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| 28 | 30 | | (5) a veterans treatment court program established by |
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| 29 | 31 | | the commissioners court as provided by Chapter 124. |
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| 30 | 32 | | (e) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a county that has |
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| 31 | 33 | | adopted a system or method of payment authorized by Section |
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| 32 | 34 | | 113.048, Local Government Code, may provide a person who reported |
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| 33 | 35 | | [reports] for jury service in the county an opportunity to donate |
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| 34 | 36 | | all, or a specific part designated by the juror, of the juror's |
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| 35 | 37 | | daily reimbursement by completing a self-executing application on a |
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| 36 | 38 | | form prescribed by the commissioners court that is provided after |
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| 37 | 39 | | jury service is concluded. |
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| 38 | 40 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies only to a person summoned to |
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| 39 | 41 | | appear for jury service who is required to appear on or after the |
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| 40 | 42 | | effective date of this Act. A person summoned to appear for jury |
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| 41 | 43 | | service who is required to appear before the effective date of this |
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| 42 | 44 | | Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the |
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| 43 | 45 | | effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in |
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| 44 | 46 | | effect for that purpose. |
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| 45 | 47 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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| 46 | | - | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 47 | | - | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 48 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1179 passed the Senate on |
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| 49 | | - | April 13, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 50 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | | - | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 52 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1179 passed the House on |
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| 53 | | - | May 25, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 123, Nays 0, one |
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| 54 | | - | present not voting. |
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| 55 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 56 | | - | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 57 | | - | Approved: |
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| 58 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 59 | | - | Date |
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| 60 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 61 | | - | Governor |
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