By Clark H.B. No. 1684 75R6251 KEL-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to circumstances in which less than the whole number of a 1-3 jury may render a verdict in a criminal case. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Article 36.29(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-6 amended to read as follows: 1-7 (c) After the charge of the court is read to the jury, if 1-8 any one of them becomes so sick as to prevent the continuance of 1-9 his duty, or any accident of circumstance occurs to prevent their 1-10 being kept together under circumstances under which the law or the 1-11 instructions of the court requires that they be kept together, the 1-12 jury shall be discharged, except that on agreement on the record by 1-13 the defendant and the attorney representing the state 11 members of 1-14 a jury may render a verdict and, if punishment is to be assessed by 1-15 the jury, assess punishment. If a verdict is rendered by less than 1-16 the whole number of the jury, each member of the jury shall sign 1-17 the verdict. 1-18 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-19 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.