BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2286

By: Landgraf

Criminal Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the current process through which prospective jurors are selected and summoned to impanel a grand jury places a strain on courts, particularly in rural areas of the state. H.B. 2286 seeks to address this issue by granting a district judge greater discretion in impaneling a grand jury and by revising certain aspects of a grand juror's qualifications and excusal from service on the grand jury.

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

H.B. 2286 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to change the number of prospective grand jurors required to be selected and summoned on the direction of a district judge for purposes of impaneling a grand jury from a range of 20 to 125 to a number the district judge considers necessary to ensure an adequate number of jurors on the grand jury. The bill clarifies that a person selected or serving as a grand juror must be at least 18 years of age and a United States citizen. The bill lowers the age of a child for which a person is responsible that triggers an excusal from grand jury service for the person from younger than 18 years of age to younger than 12 years of age and specifies that such an excusal is triggered if the person's service on the grand jury would require leaving the child without adequate supervision.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.