Floor Packet Page No. 605                                                   

	
Amend CSHB 4 as follows:                                                     
	On page 91, line 11, strike Subsection (b) and replace it with 
a new Subsection (b) to read as follows:
	(b)(1)  In an action seeking damages for personal injury or 
death, a person's answer in voir dire that the person could not 
award a certain sum of money damages based on a hypothetical set of 
circumstances does not, in and of itself, establish a bias or 
prejudice in favor of or against a party in the action that warrants 
disqualification under Section (a)(4).
		(2)  In this section, "side" has the same meaning as in 
Rule 233, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, or its successor.
			(A)  In any civil action to be tried before a jury, 
the trial court shall allow each side voir dire, as follows:
				(1)  in Level 1 cases, as defined by Rule 
190.2, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, at least one hour;
				(2)  in Level 2 cases, as defined by Rule 
190.3, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, at least two hours; and
				(3)  in Level 3 cases, as defined by Rule 
190.4, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, at least three hours.
			(B)  The time allocated in Subsection (b) shall 
not include time consumed in making preemptory challenges or 
challenges for cause to jurors or in making or responding to 
objections.
			(C)  The supreme court may adopt rules consistent 
with the provisions of this section.  To the extent that any rule 
conflicts with the provisions of this section, this section 
controls.
			(D)  Section 22.004, Government Code, does not 
apply to this section.