S.B. No. 270
AN ACT
relating to a limited exception to the prohibition on releasing
personal information about a juror collected during the jury
selection process in certain cases.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article 35.29, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended to read as follows:
Art. 35.29. PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT JURORS. (a) Except
as provided by Subsections (b) and (c), information [Information]
collected by the court or by a prosecuting attorney during the jury
selection process about a person who serves as a juror, including
the juror's home address, home telephone number, social security
number, driver's license number, and other personal information, is
confidential and may not be disclosed by the court, the prosecuting
attorney, the defense counsel, or any court personnel.
(b) On [except on] application by a party in the trial, or on
application by a bona fide member of the news media acting in such
capacity, to the court for the disclosure of information described
by Subsection (a), the court shall, on [in which the person is
serving or did serve as a juror. On] a showing of good cause, [the
court shall] permit disclosure of the information sought.
(c) The defense counsel may disclose information described
by Subsection (a) to successor counsel representing the same
defendant in a proceeding under Article 11.071 without application
to the court or a showing of good cause.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to an
application for a writ of habeas corpus under Article 11.071, Code
of Criminal Procedure, that is pending on the effective date of this
Act or filed on or after that date.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 270 passed the Senate on
March 21, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0;
May 21, 2013, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 22, 2013, House
granted request of the Senate; May 26, 2013, Senate adopted
Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 31,
Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 270 passed the House, with
amendments, on May 16, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 143,
Nays 0, two present not voting; May 22, 2013, House granted request
of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
May 25, 2013, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, two present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor