H.B. No. 2015
AN ACT
relating to the exemption from jury service for persons over a
certain age.
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 75 [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.
SECTION 2. Section 62.107(c), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(c) A person who files a statement with a clerk of the court,
as provided by Subsection (a), claiming an exemption because the
person is over 75 [70] years of age, may also claim the permanent
exemption on that ground authorized by Section 62.108 by including
in the statement filed with the clerk a declaration that the person
desires the permanent exemption. Promptly after a statement
claiming a permanent exemption on the basis of age is filed, the
clerk of the court with whom it is filed shall have a copy delivered
to the voter registrar of the county.
SECTION 3. Sections 62.108(a), (b), (c), and (e),
Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) A person who is entitled to exemption from jury service
because the person is over 75 [70] years of age may establish a
permanent exemption on that ground as provided by this section or
Section 62.107.
(b) A person may claim a permanent exemption:
(1) by filing with the voter registrar of the county,
by mail or personal delivery, a signed statement affirming that the
person is over 75 [70] years of age and desires a permanent
exemption on that ground; or
(2) in the manner provided by Section 62.107(c).
(c) The voter registrar of the county shall maintain a
current register indicating the name of each person who has claimed
and is entitled to a permanent exemption from jury service because
the person is over 75 [70] years of age.
(e) A person who has claimed a permanent exemption from jury
service because the person is over 75 [70] years of age may rescind
the exemption at any time by filing a signed request for the
rescission with the voter registrar of the county. Rescission of a
permanent exemption does not affect the right of a person who is
over 75 [70] years of age to claim permanent exemption at a later
time.
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an exemption from jury service for a person who is summoned to
appear for service on or after the effective date of this Act. An
exemption from jury service for a person who is summoned to appear
for service before the effective date of this Act is covered by the
law in effect when the person was summoned, and that law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2015 was passed by the House on April
13, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 9, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2015 was passed by the Senate on May
11, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor