Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1888 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R9571 BCH-D
2	2	By: Sparks S.B. No. 1888
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to reconstitution of the jury wheel and juror
10	10	qualifications in certain counties.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Section 62.001, Government Code, is amended by
13	13	amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding Subsection (a-1)
14	14	to read as follows:
15	15	(a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), the [The] jury
16	16	wheel must be reconstituted by using, as the source:
17	17	(1) the names of all persons on the current voter
18	18	registration lists from all the precincts in the county; and
19	19	(2) all names on a current list to be furnished by the
20	20	Department of Public Safety, showing the residents [citizens] of
21	21	the county who:
22	22	(A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a
23	23	valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the
24	24	department; and
25	25	(B) are not disqualified from jury service under
26	26	Section 62.102(a)(1) [62.102(1)], (2), or (8).
27	27	(a-1) In a county with a population of less than 25,000, the
28	28	jury wheel may be reconstituted by using, in addition to the sources
29	29	required under Subsection (a):
30	30	(1) the names of all persons on the current voter
31	31	registration lists from all the precincts in one or more counties
32	32	contiguous to the summoning county; and
33	33	(2) all names on a list required by Subsection (a)(1)
34	34	showing the residents of one or more counties contiguous to the
35	35	summoning county who:
36	36	(A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a
37	37	valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the
38	38	Department of Public Safety; and
39	39	(B) are not disqualified from jury service under
40	40	Section 62.102(a)(1), (2), or (8).
41	41	(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (a-1), the names of
42	42	persons listed on a register of persons exempt from jury service may
43	43	not be placed in the jury wheel, as provided by Sections 62.108,
44	44	62.109, 62.113, 62.114, and 62.115.
45	45	(d) The lists [list] required by Subsections [Subsection]
46	46	(a)(1) and (a-1)(1) must exclude the names of persons on the
47	47	suspense list maintained under Section 15.081, Election Code.
48	48	SECTION 2. Section 62.0132(g), Government Code, is amended
49	49	to read as follows:
50	50	(g) The information contained in a completed questionnaire
51	51	may be disclosed to:
52	52	(1) a judge assigned to hear a cause of action in which
53	53	the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential juror;
54	54	(2) court personnel;
55	55	(3) a litigant and a litigant's attorney in a cause of
56	56	action in which the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential
57	57	juror; and
58	58	(4) other than information provided that is related to
59	59	Section 62.102(a)(8) [62.102(8)] or (9), the voter registrar of a
60	60	county in connection with any matter of voter registration or the
61	61	administration of elections.
62	62	SECTION 3. Section 62.102, Government Code, is amended to
63	63	read as follows:
64	64	Sec. 62.102. GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR JURY SERVICE. (a)
65	65	Except as provided by Subsection (b), a [A] person is disqualified
66	66	to serve as a petit juror unless the person:
67	67	(1) is at least 18 years of age;
68	68	(2) is a citizen of the United States;
69	69	(3) is a resident of this state and of the county in
70	70	which the person is to serve as a juror;
71	71	(4) is qualified under the constitution and laws to
72	72	vote in the county in which the person is to serve as a juror;
73	73	(5) is of sound mind and good moral character;
74	74	(6) is able to read and write;
75	75	(7) has not served as a petit juror for six days during
76	76	the preceding three months in the county court or during the
77	77	preceding six months in the district court;
78	78	(8) has not been convicted of misdemeanor theft or a
79	79	felony; and
80	80	(9) is not under indictment or other legal accusation
81	81	for misdemeanor theft or a felony.
82	82	(b) A person is not disqualified under Subsections (a)(3)
83	83	and (4) to serve as a juror in a county with a population of less
84	84	than 25,000 if that person is:
85	85	(1) a resident of a county contiguous to the summoning
86	86	county; and
87	87	(2) qualified under the constitution and laws to vote
88	88	in the contiguous county.
89	89	SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only
90	90	to the qualifications of a person summoned for jury service on or
91	91	after the effective date of this Act. The qualifications of a
92	92	person summoned for jury service before the effective date of this
93	93	Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the summons was
94	94	made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
95	95	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.