75R8278 MLS-F
By Carona, et al. S.B. No. 231
Substitute the following for S.B. No. 231:
By Thompson C.S.S.B. No. 231
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to sources of names for the jury wheel.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Sections 62.001(a), (d), and (f), Government
1-5 Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-6 (a) The jury wheel must be reconstituted by using, as the
1-7 source:
1-8 (1) the names of all persons on the current voter
1-9 registration lists from all the precincts in the county; and
1-10 (2) all names on a current list to be furnished by the
1-11 Department of Public Safety, showing the citizens of the county
1-12 who:
1-13 (A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or [and
1-14 the citizens of the county, other than persons who are disqualified
1-15 from jury service, who hold] a valid personal identification card
1-16 or certificate issued by the department; and
1-17 (B) are not disqualified from jury service under
1-18 Section 62.102(1), (2), or (7).
1-19 (d) The list required by Subsection (c) may exclude, at the
1-20 option of the voter registrar of each county, [must exclude the
1-21 names of convicted felons and] the names of persons on the suspense
1-22 list maintained under Section 15.081, Election Code [exempt from
1-23 jury service under Sections 62.108 and 62.109].
1-24 (f) The Department of Public Safety shall furnish a list to
2-1 the secretary of state that shows the names required under
2-2 Subsection (a)(2) and that contains any of the information
2-3 enumerated in Subsection (c) that is available to the department,
2-4 including citizenship status and county of residence. The list
2-5 shall exclude the names of convicted felons and persons residing
2-6 outside the county. The department shall furnish the list on or
2-7 before the first Monday in October of each year.
2-8 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and
2-9 applies only to lists furnished by the Department of Public Safety
2-10 or a voter registrar on or after the effective date of this Act.
2-11 Lists furnished by the Department of Public Safety or a voter
2-12 registrar before the effective date of this Act are governed by the
2-13 law as it existed on the date the list was furnished, and the
2-14 former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-15 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.