| 1 | 1 | | 84R892 KFF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Fletcher H.B. No. 1313 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to ensuring the removal of the names of deceased persons |
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| 8 | 8 | | from the jury wheel. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 62.001, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as |
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| 12 | 12 | | follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) The jury wheel must be reconstituted by using, as the |
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| 14 | 14 | | source: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) the names of all persons on the current voter |
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| 16 | 16 | | registration lists from all the precincts in the county; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) all names on a current list to be furnished by the |
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| 18 | 18 | | Department of Public Safety, showing the citizens of the county |
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| 19 | 19 | | who: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (A) subject to Subsection (b-1), hold a valid |
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| 21 | 21 | | Texas driver's license or a valid personal identification card or |
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| 22 | 22 | | certificate issued by the department; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (B) are not disqualified from jury service under |
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| 24 | 24 | | Section 62.102(1), (2), or (7). |
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| 25 | 25 | | (b-1) The Department of Public Safety shall exclude from the |
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| 26 | 26 | | list furnished under Subsection (a) the names of persons who are |
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| 27 | 27 | | deceased. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 62, Government Code, is |
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| 29 | 29 | | amended by adding Section 62.0015 to read as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | Sec. 62.0015. REMOVAL OF DECEASED PERSONS FROM JURY WHEEL. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (a) At least quarterly, the secretary of state shall furnish to the |
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| 32 | 32 | | Department of Public Safety information obtained under Section |
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| 33 | 33 | | 16.001, Election Code, relating to deceased residents of the state |
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| 34 | 34 | | that will assist the department in ensuring the accuracy of names |
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| 35 | 35 | | provided for the jury wheel under Section 62.001(a)(2) by allowing |
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| 36 | 36 | | the department to exclude from the list furnished under that |
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| 37 | 37 | | subsection the names of deceased persons as required by Section |
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| 38 | 38 | | 62.001(b-1). |
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| 39 | 39 | | (b) Using information obtained by the secretary of state |
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| 40 | 40 | | under Section 16.001, Election Code, the secretary shall establish |
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| 41 | 41 | | a method of informing county and district clerks regarding the |
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| 42 | 42 | | deaths of persons who resided in the counties served by the clerks |
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| 43 | 43 | | for purposes of Subsection (c). |
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| 44 | 44 | | (c) The county or district clerk shall remove from the jury |
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| 45 | 45 | | wheel the jury wheel card of a deceased person or remove a deceased |
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| 46 | 46 | | person's name from the record of names for selection of persons for |
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| 47 | 47 | | jury service under Section 62.011. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 49 | 49 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 50 | 50 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 51 | 51 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 52 | 52 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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