PMWJ H.B. 2156 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS JUDICIAL AFFAIRS H.B. 2156 By: Solis 4-9-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Since 1991, the expansion of the jury wheel to include licensed drivers has greatly increased the jury pool. Consequently, larger counties have experienced a high number of duplications, creating a larger work load on clerk's offices and prolonging the time it takes to select a jury. Section 62.001(i) of the Government Code allows only counties with populations of 105,000 or less with the largest municipality in more than one county to contract with entities other than the Secretary of State's office for the purpose of merging drivers' license and voter registration lists. PURPOSE HB 2156 would remove the bracket requirement so other counties could contract with outside entities for the purpose of merging drivers' license and voter registration lists for jury selection. 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 amends Section 62.001(i), Government Code by deleting the population and intercounty municipality threshold to allow commissioners courts to contract with another governmental unit or a private person to combine the voter registration list with the list furnished by the Department of Public Safety. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date.