BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1495 By: Morales, Eddie Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE A constituent from Val Verde County has reported concerns to the bill author regarding the privacy of personal information collected during the jury selection process. The constituent claims that their data was accessed by a defendant who called, intimidated, and confronted them over the verdict they supported as a juror, leaving them deeply uncomfortable. The author has informed the committee that this situation demonstrates the vulnerability of a juror's privacy and a lack of legal safeguards surrounding jury information, which can lead to unauthorized disclosures that undermine the safety of jurors and reduce public trust in our state's judicial system. H.B. 1495 seeks to resolve these issues by establishing that all personal information gathered during the jury selection process about a person who reports for jury duty is confidential and protected from disclosure, unless disclosure is authorized by the court under limited circumstances. These changes aim to protect the privacy of jurors while maintaining the integrity of our state's judicial system. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 1495 amends the Government Code to establish that personal information collected by a court, a party, or a party's attorney during the jury selection process about a person who reports for jury duty is confidential. The bill prohibits the disclosure of such information by the court, a party, a party's attorney, or any court personnel, except that the court may authorize a disclosure on submission of an application to the court showing good cause for the disclosure by a party to the proceeding or a person acting in the actual discharge of the person's duties as a member of the news media. Information considered to be confidential by the bill includes the following: a person's home address, telephone number, social security number, and driver's license number; information provided in the juror questionnaire required to be submitted when the person reports for jury duty; and any other personal information. The bill's provisions apply only to a person who reports for jury duty on or after the bill's effective date. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 1495
By: Morales, Eddie
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 1495
By: Morales, Eddie
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE A constituent from Val Verde County has reported concerns to the bill author regarding the privacy of personal information collected during the jury selection process. The constituent claims that their data was accessed by a defendant who called, intimidated, and confronted them over the verdict they supported as a juror, leaving them deeply uncomfortable. The author has informed the committee that this situation demonstrates the vulnerability of a juror's privacy and a lack of legal safeguards surrounding jury information, which can lead to unauthorized disclosures that undermine the safety of jurors and reduce public trust in our state's judicial system. H.B. 1495 seeks to resolve these issues by establishing that all personal information gathered during the jury selection process about a person who reports for jury duty is confidential and protected from disclosure, unless disclosure is authorized by the court under limited circumstances. These changes aim to protect the privacy of jurors while maintaining the integrity of our state's judicial system.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 1495 amends the Government Code to establish that personal information collected by a court, a party, or a party's attorney during the jury selection process about a person who reports for jury duty is confidential. The bill prohibits the disclosure of such information by the court, a party, a party's attorney, or any court personnel, except that the court may authorize a disclosure on submission of an application to the court showing good cause for the disclosure by a party to the proceeding or a person acting in the actual discharge of the person's duties as a member of the news media. Information considered to be confidential by the bill includes the following: a person's home address, telephone number, social security number, and driver's license number; information provided in the juror questionnaire required to be submitted when the person reports for jury duty; and any other personal information. The bill's provisions apply only to a person who reports for jury duty on or after the bill's effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
A constituent from Val Verde County has reported concerns to the bill author regarding the privacy of personal information collected during the jury selection process. The constituent claims that their data was accessed by a defendant who called, intimidated, and confronted them over the verdict they supported as a juror, leaving them deeply uncomfortable. The author has informed the committee that this situation demonstrates the vulnerability of a juror's privacy and a lack of legal safeguards surrounding jury information, which can lead to unauthorized disclosures that undermine the safety of jurors and reduce public trust in our state's judicial system.
H.B. 1495 seeks to resolve these issues by establishing that all personal information gathered during the jury selection process about a person who reports for jury duty is confidential and protected from disclosure, unless disclosure is authorized by the court under limited circumstances. These changes aim to protect the privacy of jurors while maintaining the integrity of our state's judicial system.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 1495 amends the Government Code to establish that personal information collected by a court, a party, or a party's attorney during the jury selection process about a person who reports for jury duty is confidential. The bill prohibits the disclosure of such information by the court, a party, a party's attorney, or any court personnel, except that the court may authorize a disclosure on submission of an application to the court showing good cause for the disclosure by a party to the proceeding or a person acting in the actual discharge of the person's duties as a member of the news media. Information considered to be confidential by the bill includes the following:
a person's home address, telephone number, social security number, and driver's license number;
information provided in the juror questionnaire required to be submitted when the person reports for jury duty; and
any other personal information.
The bill's provisions apply only to a person who reports for jury duty on or after the bill's effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.