Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2370 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R2426 SRS-D
2	2	By: Rodriguez of Bexar H.B. No. 2370
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a bailiff administering the selection of names of
8	8	persons for jury service.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 62.001(g), Government Code, is amended
11	11	to read as follows:
12	12	(g) The secretary of state shall accept the lists furnished
13	13	as provided by Subsections (c) through (f). The secretary of state
14	14	shall combine the lists, eliminate duplicate names, and send the
15	15	combined list to each county on or before December 31 of each year
16	16	or as may be required under a plan developed in accordance with
17	17	Section 62.011. The district clerk or bailiff designated as the
18	18	officer in charge of the jury selection process for [of] a county
19	19	that has adopted a plan under Section 62.011 shall give the
20	20	secretary of state notice not later than the 90th day before the
21	21	date the list is required. The list furnished the county must be in
22	22	a format, electronic or printed copy, as requested by the county and
23	23	must be certified by the secretary of state stating that the list
24	24	contains the names required by Subsections (c) through (f),
25	25	eliminating duplications. The secretary of state shall furnish the
26	26	list free of charge.
27	27	SECTION 2. Section 62.011(b), Government Code, is amended
28	28	to read as follows:
29	29	(b) A plan authorized by this section for the selection of
30	30	names of prospective jurors must:
31	31	(1) be proposed in writing to the commissioners court
32	32	by a majority of the district and criminal district judges of the
33	33	county at a meeting of the judges called for that purpose;
34	34	(2) specify that the source of names of persons for
35	35	jury service is the same as that provided by Section 62.001 and that
36	36	the names of persons listed in a register of persons exempt from
37	37	jury service may not be used in preparing the record of names from
38	38	which a jury list is selected, as provided by Sections 62.108 and
39	39	62.109;
40	40	(3) provide a fair, impartial, and objective method of
41	41	selecting names of persons for jury service with the aid of
42	42	electronic or mechanical equipment;
43	43	(4) designate the district clerk or a bailiff
44	44	appointed as provided under Section 62.019 as the officer in charge
45	45	of the selection process and define the officer's [his] duties; and
46	46	(5) provide that the method of selection either will
47	47	use the same record of names for the selection of persons for jury
48	48	service until that record is exhausted or will use the same record
49	49	of names for a period of time specified by the plan.
50	50	SECTION 3. Section 62.0145, Government Code, is amended to
51	51	read as follows:
52	52	Sec. 62.0145. REMOVAL OF CERTAIN PERSONS FROM POOL OF
53	53	PROSPECTIVE JURORS. Except as provided by Section 62.0146, if a
54	54	written summons for jury service sent by a sheriff, constable, or
55	55	bailiff is undeliverable, the county or district clerk may remove
56	56	from the jury wheel the jury wheel card for the person summoned or
57	57	the district clerk or a bailiff appointed as provided under Section
58	58	62.019 may remove the person's name from the record of names for
59	59	selection of persons for jury service under Section 62.011.
60	60	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
61	61	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
62	62	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
63	63	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
64	64	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.