| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to methods of payment for reimbursement of jury service |
|
|
expenses. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 113, Local Government |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 113.048 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 113.048. DISBURSEMENT OF MONEY FOR JURY SERVICE. |
|
|
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter or |
|
|
other law to the contrary, a county treasurer may disburse to a |
|
|
person who reports for jury service and discharges the person's |
|
|
duty the daily amount of reimbursement for jury service expenses |
|
|
set by the commissioners court under Section 61.001, Government |
|
|
Code, by: |
|
|
(1) using an electronic funds transfer system in |
|
|
accordance with Chapter 156; |
|
|
(2) using a cash dispensing machine; |
|
|
(3) issuing a debit card or a stored value card; or |
|
|
(4) using any other method that the county treasurer |
|
|
and the commissioners court determine is secure, accurate, and |
|
|
cost-effective and that is convenient for persons who report for |
|
|
jury service. |
|
|
(b) A system or method of payment adopted by a county |
|
|
treasurer under Subsection (a) may be implemented only if it is |
|
|
approved by the commissioners court and administered in accordance |
|
|
with the procedures established by the county auditor or by the |
|
|
chief financial officer of a county that does not have a county |
|
|
auditor. |
|
|
(c) A system or method of payment authorized by this section |
|
|
may be used in lieu of or in addition to the issuance of warrants or |
|
|
checks authorized under this subchapter. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subsection (f), Section 61.001, Government Code, |
|
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(f) A reimbursement for expenses under this section is not a |
|
|
property right of a person who reports for jury service for purposes |
|
|
of Chapters 72 and 74, Property Code. If a check, [or other] |
|
|
instrument, or other method of payment authorized under Section |
|
|
113.048, Local Government Code, representing a reimbursement under |
|
|
this section is not presented for payment or redeemed before the |
|
|
90th day after it is issued: |
|
|
(1) the instrument or other method of payment is |
|
|
considered forfeited and is void; and |
|
|
(2) the money represented by the instrument or other |
|
|
method of payment may be placed or retained in the county's jury |
|
|
fund, the county's general fund, or any other fund in which county |
|
|
funds can be legally placed, at the discretion of the commissioners |
|
|
court. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 61.003, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
|
|
(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a county that has |
|
|
adopted a system or method of payment authorized by Section |
|
|
113.048, Local Government Code, may provide a person who reports |
|
|
for jury service in the county an opportunity to donate all, or a |
|
|
specific part designated by the juror, of the juror's daily |
|
|
reimbursement by completing a self-executing application on a form |
|
|
prescribed by the commissioners court. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
a disbursement for the reimbursement for jury service expenses on |
|
|
or after the effective date of this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 397 passed the Senate on |
|
|
March 19, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
|
|
|
| |
| |
______________________________ |
| |
Secretary of the Senate |
| |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 397 passed the House on |
|
|
May 27, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 0, one present |
|
|
not voting. |
|
|
|
| |
| |
______________________________ |
| |
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Approved: |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Governor |