By: Bernal H.B. No. 128
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the exemption of certain school district and
open-enrollment charter school employees 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;
or
(10) is a classroom teacher, paraprofessional, or
librarian employed by a school district or an open-enrollment
charter school.
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
the establishment of an exemption from jury services for a person
summoned to appear for jury services on a date on or after the
effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2023.