SRC-S.B. 203 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 203
By: Duncan
Jurisprudence
6/11/2001
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a grand jury commission can select 15 to 20 persons to fill 14
positions in a grand jury panel, and a district judge can select 20 to 75
prospective grand jurors.  S.B. 203 increases the possible pool of
candidates for selection by a commission to a range from 15 to 40
individuals and increases the pool of prospective candidates selected by a
judge to range from 20 to 125. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Article 19.01(b), Code of Criminal Procedure, to
authorize a district judge, in lieu of the selection of prospective jurors
by means of a jury commission, to direct that 20 to 125, rather than 75,
prospective grand jurors be selected and summoned, with return on summons,
in the same manner as for the selection and summons of panels for the trial
of civil cases in the district courts. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Articles 19.06 and 19.17, Code of Criminal Procedure, as
follows: 

Art. 19.06.  Requires the jury commissioners to select not less than 15 nor
more than 40, rather than 20, persons from the citizens of the county to be
summoned as grand jurors for the next term of court. 

 Art. 19.17.  Makes a conforming change.

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 2001.