By: Castro (Senate Sponsor - Wentworth) H.B. No. 609
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 16, 2009;
  April 16, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Jurisprudence; April 23, 2009, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; April 23, 2009, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the composition of the jury in certain adjudication
  hearings in juvenile court.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 54.03(c), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  Trial shall be by jury unless jury is waived in
  accordance with Section 51.09. If the hearing is on a petition that
  has been approved by the grand jury under Section 53.045, the jury
  must consist of 12 persons and be selected in accordance with the
  requirements in criminal cases. If the hearing is on a petition
  that alleges conduct that violates a penal law of this state of the
  grade of misdemeanor, the jury must consist of the number of persons
  required by Article 33.01(b), Code of Criminal Procedure. Jury
  verdicts under this title must be unanimous.
         SECTION 2.  Section 54.03(c), Family Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies to an adjudication hearing conducted in a
  juvenile court for which a jury is selected on or after the
  effective date of this Act, regardless of the date the petition on
  which the hearing is based was filed.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
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