88R3313 CJD-F
 
  By: Smith H.B. No. 469
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the sequestration of a jury in a criminal case.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 35.23, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Art. 35.23.  JURORS MAY SEPARATE.  (a)  The court may adjourn
  veniremen to any day of the term.  When jurors have been sworn in a
  felony case, the court may, at its discretion, permit the jurors to
  separate until the court has given its charge to the jury.
         (b)  The court on its own motion may [and on the motion of
  either party shall], after having given its charge to the jury,
  order that the jury not be allowed to separate, after which the jury
  shall be kept together [, and not permitted to separate except to
  the extent of housing female jurors separate and apart from male
  jurors,] until a verdict has been rendered or the jury finally
  discharged.
         (c)  The court, on the motion of either party requesting that
  the jury not be allowed to separate after the court has given its
  charge to the jury, shall hold a hearing to determine whether good
  cause exists to order that the jury not be allowed to separate. On a
  finding of good cause, the court shall enter an order described by
  Subsection (b). A motion by a party requesting that the jury not be
  allowed to separate must be filed not less than 10 days before the
  date jury selection begins unless the requesting party shows good
  cause exists for filing the motion after that period.
         (d)  Any person who makes known to the jury which party made
  the motion not to allow separation of the jury shall be punished for
  contempt of court.
         (e)  If [such] jurors ordered not to separate are kept
  overnight, facilities shall be provided for female jurors separate
  and apart from the facilities provided for male jurors.
         (f)  In misdemeanor cases the court may, at its discretion,
  permit the jurors to separate at any time before the verdict.
         (g)  In any case in which the jury is permitted to separate,
  the court shall first give the jurors proper instructions with
  regard to their conduct as jurors when so separated.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a criminal proceeding that commences on or after the effective
  date of this Act.  A criminal proceeding that commences before the
  effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
  date the proceeding commenced, and the former law is continued in
  effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.