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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 1755

By: Neave

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties contend that a county would be able to save money if it were not required to mail a paper version of the requisite jury summons questionnaire along with a jury summons to potential jurors. C.S.H.B. 1755 seeks to facilitate such savings by giving a county the option of including on a jury summons a website address from which that questionnaire may be easily printed and by allowing a potential juror to complete and submit the questionnaire on the applicable court's website if there is an adopted plan for electronic jury selection in the county.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS   

 

C.S.H.B. 1755 amends the Government Code to add the option for a written jury summons to include the electronic address of the court's website from which the jury summons questionnaire developed by the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System may be easily printed as an alternative to the summons including a copy of the questionnaire. The bill authorizes a county in which the district and criminal district judges adopt a plan for an electronic jury selection method to allow a person to complete and submit a jury summons questionnaire on the applicable court's website.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2017.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 1755 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

INTRODUCED

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1.  Sections 62.0132(b) and (d), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b)  A written jury summons must include:

(1)  a copy of the questionnaire developed under this section; or

(2)  the electronic address of the court's Internet website from which the questionnaire developed under this section may be easily printed.

(d)  A person who has received a written jury summons [and a written jury summons questionnaire] shall complete and submit a jury summons [the] questionnaire when the person reports for jury duty.

 

SECTION 1.  Sections 62.0132(b) and (d), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b)  A written jury summons must include:

(1)  a copy of the questionnaire developed under this section; or

(2)  the electronic address of the court's Internet website from which the questionnaire developed under this section may be easily printed.

(d)  Except as provided by this subsection, a [A] person who has received a written jury summons [and a written jury summons questionnaire] shall complete and submit a jury summons [the] questionnaire when the person reports for jury duty.  If the district and criminal district judges of a county adopt a plan for an electronic jury selection method under Section 62.011, the county may allow a person to complete and submit a jury summons questionnaire on the court's Internet website as authorized under Section 62.0111(b)(5).

SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act to Section 62.0132, Government Code, applies only to a written jury summons sent on or after the effective date of this Act.  A written jury summons sent before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.

 

 

SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

 

SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.