By Thompson H.B. No. 1139
76R1805 KEL-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to service as a grand juror and information associated
1-3 with that service.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Article 19.25, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Art. 19.25. EXCUSES FROM SERVICE. Any person summoned who
1-8 does not possess the requisite qualifications shall be excused by
1-9 the court from serving. The following qualified persons may be
1-10 excused from grand jury service:
1-11 (1) a person older than 70 [65] years;
1-12 (2) a person responsible for the care of a child
1-13 younger than 18 years;
1-14 (3) a student of a public or private secondary school;
1-15 (4) a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an
1-16 institution of higher education; and
1-17 (5) any other person that the court determines has a
1-18 reasonable excuse from service.
1-19 SECTION 2. Chapter 19, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-20 amended by adding Article 19.42 to read as follows:
1-21 Art. 19.42. PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT GRAND JURORS.
1-22 (a) Information collected by the court, court personnel, or
1-23 prosecuting attorney during the grand jury selection process about
1-24 a person who serves as a grand juror, including the person's home
2-1 address, home telephone number, social security number, driver's
2-2 license number, and other personal information, is confidential and
2-3 may not be disclosed by the court, court personnel, or prosecuting
2-4 attorney except on application to the court in which the person is
2-5 serving or did serve as a grand juror by:
2-6 (1) a party to the proceeding; or
2-7 (2) a bona fide member of the news media acting in
2-8 that capacity.
2-9 (b) On a showing of good cause, the court shall permit
2-10 disclosure of the information sought.
2-11 SECTION 3. Section 1 of this Act applies only to an
2-12 exemption from grand jury service for persons summoned on or after
2-13 that date to appear for service. An exemption from grand jury
2-14 service for persons summoned before the effective date of this Act
2-15 to appear for service is covered by the law in effect when the
2-16 person was summoned, and that law is continued in effect for that
2-17 purpose.
2-18 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-19 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
2-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.