Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4749 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		By: Landgraf H.B. No. 4749
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4	6		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	7		AN ACT
6	8		relating to reconstitution of the jury wheel and juror
7	9		qualifications in certain counties.
8	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	11		SECTION 1. Section 62.001, Government Code, is amended by
10	12		amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding Subsection (a-1)
11	13		to read as follows:
12	14		(a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), the [The] jury
13	15		wheel must be reconstituted by using, as the source:
14	16		(1) the names of all persons on the current voter
15	17		registration lists from all the precincts in the county; and
16	18		(2) all names on a current list to be furnished by the
17	19		Department of Public Safety, showing the residents [citizens] of
18	20		the county who:
19	21		(A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a
20	22		valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the
21	23		department; and
22	24		(B) are not disqualified from jury service under
23	25		Section 62.102(a)(1) [62.102(1)], (2), or (8).
24	26		(a-1) In a county with a population of less than 25,000, the
25	27		jury wheel may be reconstituted by using, in addition to the sources
26	28		required under Subsection (a):
27	29		(1) the names of all persons on the current voter
28	30		registration lists from all the precincts in one or more counties
29	31		contiguous to the summoning county; and
30	32		(2) all names on a list required by Subsection (a)(1)
31	33		showing the residents of one or more counties contiguous to the
32	34		summoning county who:
33	35		(A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a
34	36		valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the
35	37		Department of Public Safety;
36	38		(B) reside in a county within the same judicial
37	39		district as the summoning county; and
38	40		(C) are not disqualified from jury service under
39	41		Section 62.102(a)(1), (2), or (8).
40	42		(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (a-1), the names of
41	43		persons listed on a register of persons exempt from jury service may
42	44		not be placed in the jury wheel, as provided by Sections 62.108,
43	45		62.109, 62.113, 62.114, and 62.115.
44	46		(d) The lists [list] required by Subsections [Subsection]
45	47		(a)(1) and (a-1)(1) must exclude the names of persons on the
46	48		suspense list maintained under Section 15.081, Election Code.
47	49		SECTION 2. Section 62.0132(g), Government Code, is amended
48	50		to read as follows:
49	51		(g) The information contained in a completed questionnaire
50	52		may be disclosed to:
51	53		(1) a judge assigned to hear a cause of action in which
52	54		the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential juror;
53	55		(2) court personnel;
54	56		(3) a litigant and a litigant's attorney in a cause of
55	57		action in which the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential
56	58		juror; and
57	59		(4) other than information provided that is related to
58	60		Section 62.102(a)(8) [62.102(8)] or (9), the voter registrar of a
59	61		county in connection with any matter of voter registration or the
60	62		administration of elections.
61	63		SECTION 3. Section 62.102, Government Code, is amended to
62	64		read as follows:
63	65		Sec. 62.102. GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR JURY SERVICE. (a)
64	66		Except as provided by Subsection (b), a [A] person is disqualified
65	67		to serve as a petit juror unless the person:
66	68		(1) is at least 18 years of age;
67	69		(2) is a citizen of the United States;
68	70		(3) is a resident of this state and of the county in
69	71		which the person is to serve as a juror;
70	72		(4) is qualified under the constitution and laws to
71	73		vote in the county in which the person is to serve as a juror;
72	74		(5) is of sound mind and good moral character;
73	75		(6) is able to read and write;
74	76		(7) has not served as a petit juror for six days during
75	77		the preceding three months in the county court or during the
76	78		preceding six months in the district court;
77	79		(8) has not been convicted of misdemeanor theft or a
78	80		felony; and
79	81		(9) is not under indictment or other legal accusation
80	82		for misdemeanor theft or a felony.
81	83		(b) A person is not disqualified under Subsections (a)(3)
82	84		and (4) to serve as a juror in a county with a population of less
83	85		than 25,000 if that person is:
84	86		(1) a resident of a county contiguous to the summoning
85	87		county;
86	88		(2) a resident of a county within the same judicial
87	89		district as the summoning county; and
88	90		(3) qualified under the constitution and laws to vote
89	91		in the contiguous county.
90	92		SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only
91	93		to the qualifications of a person summoned for jury service on or
92	94		after the effective date of this Act. The qualifications of a
93	95		person summoned for jury service before the effective date of this
94	96		Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the summons was
95	97		made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
96	98		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.