Bill Text: TX SB1195 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to postponement of jury service in certain counties.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-05-19 - Effective on 9/1/11 [SB1195 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB1195-Enrolled.html
S.B. No. 1195 |
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relating to postponement of jury service in certain counties. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 62, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 62.0147 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 62.0147. MEANS OF POSTPONEMENT OF JURY SERVICE IN | ||
CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a county that | ||
has: | ||
(1) a council of judges composed of the judges of the | ||
district courts and county courts at law; and | ||
(2) a designated jury duty court that addresses | ||
administrative matters related to jury service paid for by the | ||
county. | ||
(b) A person summoned for jury service may request a | ||
postponement of the person's initial appearance for jury service. | ||
The person may request the postponement by contacting the council | ||
of judges' designee, in person, in writing, or by telephone before | ||
the date on which the person is summoned to appear. | ||
(c) On receipt of a request under Subsection (b), the | ||
council of judges' designee shall grant the person a postponement | ||
if: | ||
(1) the person has not been granted a postponement in | ||
that county since the date on which the jury wheel from which the | ||
person was selected to appear was most recently reconstituted; and | ||
(2) the designee and the person determine a substitute | ||
date on which the person will appear for jury service that is not | ||
later than six months after the date on which the person was | ||
originally summoned to appear. | ||
(d) A person who is granted a postponement under Subsection | ||
(c) may request additional postponements in the manner described by | ||
Subsection (b). The council of judges' designee may grant an | ||
additional postponement if the designee and the person determine | ||
that the person has a legitimate reason for the postponement. | ||
Before the designee may grant the additional postponement, the | ||
designee and the person must determine a date on which the person | ||
will appear for jury service that is not later than six months after | ||
the date on which the person was to appear after the later of the | ||
date of: | ||
(1) a postponement under Subsection (c); or | ||
(2) the last postponement granted under this | ||
subsection. | ||
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only | ||
to a person summoned to appear for jury service who is required to | ||
appear on or after the effective date of this Act. A person | ||
summoned to appear for jury service who is required to appear before | ||
the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on | ||
the date the person is required to appear, and the former law is | ||
continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1195 passed the Senate on | ||
April 11, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1195 passed the House on | ||
May 5, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, one present | ||
not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |