BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 654 By: Jones of Dallas March 14, 1995 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, a judge is not required to make provision for sequestered jurors to vote on election day. PURPOSE House Bill 654 requires a judge to provide sequestered jurors reasonable time to vote on election day. 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. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1 adds Section 276.009 (VOTING BY SEQUESTERED JUROR) to Chapter 276 of the Election Code. Subsec. (a) requires a judge who has sequestered the jury to provide a juror reasonable time to vote on election day; Subsec. (b) states that a court may provide the sequestered juror with a means of transportation to and from the appropriate polling place. SECTION 2. Effective date. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Pursuant to a public notice posted March 8, 1995, in accordance with House rules, the Committee on Judicial Affairs met in a public hearing on March 14, 1995, to consider House Bill 654. The Chair recognized the author, Rep. Jesse Jones, to explain the bill. There were no other witnesses. Rep. Nixon moved that H.B. 654 be reported back to the full House, without amendment, with the recommendation that it do pass, be printed and sent to the Committee on Calendars. The motion prevailed by the following record vote: 6 ayes, 0 nays, 0 PNV and 3 absent.