| 1 | 1 | | 84R6460 AJZ-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Dutton H.J.R. No. 112 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A JOINT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | proposing a constitutional amendment to change the composition of |
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| 7 | 7 | | the grand jury. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 13, Article V, Texas Constitution, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 13. (a) Grand juries shall be composed of three |
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| 12 | 12 | | persons in each county and two members of a grand jury shall be a |
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| 13 | 13 | | quorum to transact business and present bills. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (b) Petit [and petit] juries in the District Courts shall be |
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| 15 | 15 | | composed of twelve persons, except that petit juries in a criminal |
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| 16 | 16 | | case below the grade of felony shall be composed of six persons[; |
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| 17 | 17 | | but nine members of a grand jury shall be a quorum to transact |
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| 18 | 18 | | business and present bills]. In trials of civil cases in the |
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| 19 | 19 | | District Courts, nine members of the jury, concurring, may render a |
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| 20 | 20 | | verdict, but when the verdict shall be rendered by less than the |
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| 21 | 21 | | whole number, it shall be signed by every member of the jury |
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| 22 | 22 | | concurring in it. When, pending the trial of any case, one or more |
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| 23 | 23 | | jurors not exceeding three, may die, or be disabled from sitting, |
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| 24 | 24 | | the remainder of the jury shall have the power to render the |
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| 25 | 25 | | verdict; provided, that the Legislature may change or modify the |
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| 26 | 26 | | rule authorizing less than the whole number of the jury to render a |
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| 27 | 27 | | verdict. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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| 29 | 29 | | submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2015. |
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| 30 | 30 | | The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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| 31 | 31 | | proposition: "The constitutional amendment to change the |
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| 32 | 32 | | composition of the grand jury." |
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