By Seidlits H.B. No. 1787
74R7116 RJA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to six-person juries in district court civil cases.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 62.201, Government Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 62.201. NUMBER OF JURORS. The jury in a civil case in
1-7 a district court is composed of six <12> persons<, except that the
1-8 parties may agree to try a particular case with fewer than 12
1-9 jurors>.
1-10 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1996, if the
1-11 constitutional amendment proposed by the 74th Legislature, Regular
1-12 Session, 1995, providing for six-person juries in district court
1-13 civil cases is approved by the voters. If that amendment is not
1-14 approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.
1-15 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.