S.B. No. 456
AN ACT
relating to the donation of juror reimbursements.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 61.003(a) and (c), Government Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) Each person who 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 court program established by the
commissioners court as provided by Chapter 124; or
(6) a veterans county service office established by
the commissioners court as provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 434.
(c) The county treasurer shall:
(1) send all donations made under Subsection (a)(1) to
the comptroller, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the
attorney general, for deposit to the credit of the compensation to
victims of crime fund;
(2) deposit donations made to the county child welfare
board under Subsection (a)(2) in a fund established by the county to
be used by the child welfare board in a manner authorized by the
commissioners court of the county; and
(3) send all donations made under Subsection (a)(3),
[or] (a)(4), or (a)(6) directly to the program or office, as
applicable, specified on the form letter signed by the person who
reported for jury service.
SECTION 2. Section 434.032, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) The commissioners court of a county that maintains an
office:
(1) may not consider a juror's donation to the office
of the juror's daily reimbursement under Section 61.003 for
purposes of determining the county's budget for the office; and
(2) may use donations described by Subdivision (1)
only to supplement, rather than supplant, amounts budgeted by the
county for the office.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 456 passed the Senate on
April 19, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 456 passed the House on
May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 129, Nays 18, two
present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor