89R3959 JTZ-D
By: Smithee H.B. No. 1957
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an exemption from jury service for a person who is over
the age of 65.
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 65 [75] 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 is over 75 years of age and who files a
statement with a clerk of the court[,] as provided by Subsection
(a)[,] claiming an exemption under Section 62.106(a)(1) [because
the person is over 75 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. Section 62.108(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) A person who is over 75 years of age and who is entitled
to exemption from jury service under Section 62.106(a)(1) [because
the person is over 75 years of age] may establish a permanent
exemption on the [that] ground of being over 75 years of age as
provided by this section or Section 62.107.
SECTION 4. 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 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.