Bill Text: TX HB2015 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the exemption from jury service for persons over a certain age.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-24 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB2015 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB2015-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the exemption from jury service for persons over a certain age.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-24 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB2015 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB2015-Introduced.html
88R8014 AMF-D | ||
By: Leach | H.B. No. 2015 |
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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 [ |
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(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 [ |
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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 [ |
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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 [ |
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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 [ |
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(e) A person who has claimed a permanent exemption from jury | ||
service because the person is over 75 [ |
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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 [ |
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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. |