H.B. No. 1388
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to certain information collected in the jury selection
1-3 process.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 62.011(b), Government Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 (b) A plan authorized by this section for the selection of
1-8 names of prospective jurors must:
1-9 (1) be proposed in writing to the commissioners court
1-10 by a majority of the district and criminal district judges of the
1-11 county at a meeting of the judges called for that purpose;
1-12 (2) specify that the source of names of persons for
1-13 jury service is the same as that provided by Section 62.001 and
1-14 that the names of persons listed in a register of persons exempt
1-15 from jury service may not be used in preparing the record of names
1-16 from which a jury list is selected, as provided by Sections 62.108
1-17 and 62.109;
1-18 (3) provide a fair, impartial, and objective method of
1-19 selecting names of persons for jury service with the aid of
1-20 electronic or mechanical equipment;
1-21 (4) designate the district clerk as the officer in
1-22 charge of the selection process and define his duties; and
1-23 (5) <specify that a true and complete written list of
1-24 the names and addresses of persons summoned to begin jury service
2-1 on a particular date shall be filed of record with the county clerk
2-2 at least 10 days before that date; and>
2-3 <(6)> provide that the method of selection either will
2-4 use the same record of names for the selection of persons for jury
2-5 service until that record is exhausted or will use the same record
2-6 of names for a period of time specified by the plan.
2-7 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
2-8 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.