By Kamel H.B. No. 2950
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the filing of a written list of prospective jurors with
1-3 the county clerk 10 days before the date summoned.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 62.011, Government Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 62.011. ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL METHOD OF SELECTION. (a)
1-8 On the recommendation of a majority of the district and criminal
1-9 district judges of a county, the commissioners court, by order
1-10 entered in its minutes, may adopt a plan for the selection of names
1-11 of persons for jury service with the aid of electronic or
1-12 mechanical equipment instead of drawing the names from a jury
1-13 wheel.
1-14 (b) A plan authorized by this section for the selection of
1-15 names of prospective jurors must:
1-16 (1) be proposed in writing to the commissioners court
1-17 by a majority of the district and criminal district judges of the
1-18 county at a meeting of the judges called for that purpose;
1-19 (2) specify that the source of names of persons for
1-20 jury service is the same as that provided by Section 62.001 and
1-21 that the names of persons listed in a register of persons exempt
1-22 from jury service may not be used in preparing the record of names
1-23 from which a jury list is selected, as provided by Section 62.108
2-1 and 62.109;
2-2 (3) provide a fair, impartial, and objective method of
2-3 selecting names of persons for jury service with the aid of
2-4 electronic or mechanical equipment;
2-5 (4) designate the district clerk as the officer in
2-6 charge of the selection process and define his duties;
2-7 <(5) specify that a true and complete written list of
2-8 the names and addresses of persons summoned to begin jury service
2-9 on a particular date shall be filed of record with the county clerk
2-10 at least 10 days before that date;> and
2-11 (5) provide that the method of selection either will
2-12 use the same record of names for the selection of persons for jury
2-13 service until that record is exhausted or will use the same record
2-14 of names for a period of time specified by the plan.
2-15 (c) The provisions of this subchapter relating to the
2-16 selection of names of persons for jury service by the use of a jury
2-17 wheel do not apply in a county that adopts a plan authorized by
2-18 this section for the selection of names of prospective jurors by
2-19 the use of electronic or mechanical equipment.
2-20 (d) A state agency or the secretary of state may not charge
2-21 a fee for furnishing a list of names required by Section 62.001.
2-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
2-23 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.