Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB480 Latest Draft

Bill / Comm Sub Version Filed 05/01/2019

                            86R21916 AJZ-D
 By: Schaefer H.B. No. 480
 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 480:
 By:  Moody C.S.H.B. No. 480


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to a challenge to a grand juror and the recording of
 certain proceedings relating to the grand jury.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Chapter 19, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 amended by adding Article 19.211 to read as follows:
 Art. 19.211.  RECORDING OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS RELATING TO
 GRAND JURY. A stenographer or a person operating an electronic
 recording device capable of recording sound shall record:
 (1)  an interrogation of a prospective grand juror that
 is conducted under Article 19.22;
 (2)  a challenge to the array under Article 19.30;
 (3)  a challenge to a prospective grand juror under
 Article 19.31;
 (4)  an oath administered to grand jurors under Article
 19.34; and
 (5)  the court's instructions to the grand jury under
 Article 19.35.
 SECTION 2.  Article 19.31, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 amended by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
 (b-1)  The court shall allow the attorney representing the
 state a reasonable opportunity to question a grand juror in order to
 determine whether the juror may be challenged under Subsection
 (a)(1), (2), (3), (4), (7), or (10).
 SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies to a
 grand jury impaneled on or after the effective date of this Act. A
 grand jury impaneled before the effective date of this Act is
 governed by the law in effect on the date the grand jury was
 impaneled, and the former law is continued in effect for that
 purpose.
 SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.