HB3912 - Relating to the exemption of certain firefighters and police officers from jury service.

  89R9115 JTZ-D     By: Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 3912       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the exemption of certain firefighters and police   officers from jury service.          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 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 ;                 (10)     is a firefighter, including a fire chief, who is   a permanent, paid employee of the fire department of a municipality   or county or of a special district or authority that provides   firefighting services; or                 (11)     is a police officer, including a police chief,   who is a permanent, paid employee of the police department of a   municipality or county .          SECTION 2.  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 immediately before the   effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in   effect for that purpose.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.