BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 259

By: Huffines

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

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. S.B. 259 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

S.B. 259 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.