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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the reconstitution of a jury wheel for a county. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 62.001, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (c), (g), (h), and (i) and adding |
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Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) The jury wheel must be reconstituted by using, as the |
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source,[:
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[(1)] the names of all persons on the current voter |
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registration lists from all the precincts in the county[; and
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[(2) all names on a current list to be furnished by the
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Department of Public Safety, showing the citizens of the county
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who:
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[(A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a
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valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the
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department; and
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[(B) are not disqualified from jury service under
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Section 62.102(1), (2), or (7)]. |
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(c) Each year not later than the third Tuesday in November |
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or the date provided by Section 16.032, Election Code, for the |
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cancellation of voter registrations, whichever is earlier, the |
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voter registrar of each county shall furnish to the secretary of |
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state a current voter registration list from all the precincts in |
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the county that, except as provided by Subsection (d), includes: |
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(1) the complete name, mailing address, date of birth, |
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voter registration number, and precinct number for each voter; and |
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(2) any other information included on the voter |
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registration list of the county, other than a [if available, the] |
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Texas driver's license number, [or] personal identification card or |
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certificate number, or [and] social security number for each |
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voter[; and
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[(3) any other information included on the voter
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registration list of the county]. |
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(c-1) The voter registrar of a county may not provide to the |
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secretary of state under Subsection (c) a Texas driver's license |
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number, personal identification card or certificate number, or |
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social security number for a voter. |
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(g) The secretary of state shall accept the lists furnished |
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as provided by Subsections (c) through (e) [(f)]. The secretary of |
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state shall [combine the lists, eliminate duplicate names, and] |
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send the [combined] list to the appropriate [each] county on or |
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before December 31 of each year or as may be required under a plan |
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developed in accordance with Section 62.011. The district clerk of |
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a county that has adopted a plan under Section 62.011 shall give the |
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secretary of state notice not later than the 90th day before the |
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date the list is required. The list furnished the county must be in |
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a format, electronic or printed copy, as requested by the county and |
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must be certified by the secretary of state stating that the list |
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contains the names required by Subsections (c) through (e) [(f),
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eliminating duplications]. The secretary of state shall furnish |
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the list free of charge. |
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(h) If the secretary of state is unable to furnish the list |
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as provided in this section because of the failure of the voter |
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registrar to furnish the county voter registration list to the |
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secretary of state, the county tax assessor-collector, sheriff, |
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county clerk, and district clerk in the county shall meet at the |
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county courthouse between January 1 and January 15 of the following |
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year and shall reconstitute the jury wheel for the county, except as |
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provided under a plan adopted under Section 62.011. The deadlines |
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included in the plan control for preparing the list and |
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reconstituting the wheel. [The secretary of state shall send the
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list furnished by the Department of Public Safety as provided by
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Subsection (f) to the voter registrar, who shall combine the lists
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as described in this section for use as the juror source and certify
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the combined list as required of the secretary of state under
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Subsection (g).] |
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(i) The commissioners court may, instead of using the method |
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provided by Subsections (c) through (h), contract with another |
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governmental unit or a private person to implement this section |
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[combine the voter registration list with the list furnished by the
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Department of Public Safety]. Subsections (c) through (h) do not |
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apply to a county in which the commissioners court has contracted |
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with another governmental unit or a private person under this |
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subsection. [The Department of Public Safety may not charge a fee
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for furnishing a list under this subsection.] Each list must |
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contain the name, date of birth, address, and county of residence[,
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and citizenship status] of each person listed. If practical, each |
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list must contain any other information useful in determining if |
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the person is qualified to serve as a juror, except that a list may |
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not contain any information specified in Subsection (c-1). |
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SECTION 2. Section 62.001(f), Government Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |