| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to reconstitution of the jury wheel and juror |
|
|
qualifications in certain counties. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 62.001, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding Subsection (a-1) |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), the [The] jury |
|
|
wheel must be reconstituted by using, as the source: |
|
|
(1) the names of all persons on the current voter |
|
|
registration lists from all the precincts in the county; and |
|
|
(2) all names on a current list to be furnished by the |
|
|
Department of Public Safety, showing the residents [citizens] of |
|
|
the county who: |
|
|
(A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a |
|
|
valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the |
|
|
department; and |
|
|
(B) are not disqualified from jury service under |
|
|
Section 62.102(a)(1) [62.102(1)], (2), or (8). |
|
|
(a-1) In a county with a population of less than 25,000, the |
|
|
jury wheel may be reconstituted by using, in addition to the sources |
|
|
required under Subsection (a): |
|
|
(1) the names of all persons on the current voter |
|
|
registration lists from all the precincts in one or more counties |
|
|
contiguous to the summoning county; and |
|
|
(2) all names on a list required by Subsection (a)(1) |
|
|
showing the residents of one or more counties contiguous to the |
|
|
summoning county who: |
|
|
(A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a |
|
|
valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the |
|
|
Department of Public Safety; |
|
|
(B) reside in a county within the same judicial |
|
|
district as the summoning county; and |
|
|
(C) are not disqualified from jury service under |
|
|
Section 62.102(a)(1), (2), or (8). |
|
|
(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (a-1), the names of |
|
|
persons listed on a register of persons exempt from jury service may |
|
|
not be placed in the jury wheel, as provided by Sections 62.108, |
|
|
62.109, 62.113, 62.114, and 62.115. |
|
|
(d) The lists [list] required by Subsections [Subsection] |
|
|
(a)(1) and (a-1)(1) must exclude the names of persons on the |
|
|
suspense list maintained under Section 15.081, Election Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 62.0132(g), Government Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
(g) The information contained in a completed questionnaire |
|
|
may be disclosed to: |
|
|
(1) a judge assigned to hear a cause of action in which |
|
|
the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential juror; |
|
|
(2) court personnel; |
|
|
(3) a litigant and a litigant's attorney in a cause of |
|
|
action in which the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential |
|
|
juror; and |
|
|
(4) other than information provided that is related to |
|
|
Section 62.102(a)(8) [62.102(8)] or (9), the voter registrar of a |
|
|
county in connection with any matter of voter registration or the |
|
|
administration of elections. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 62.102, Government Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 62.102. GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR JURY SERVICE. (a) |
|
|
Except as provided by Subsection (b), a [A] person is disqualified |
|
|
to serve as a petit juror unless the person: |
|
|
(1) is at least 18 years of age; |
|
|
(2) is a citizen of the United States; |
|
|
(3) is a resident of this state and of the county in |
|
|
which the person is to serve as a juror; |
|
|
(4) is qualified under the constitution and laws to |
|
|
vote in the county in which the person is to serve as a juror; |
|
|
(5) is of sound mind and good moral character; |
|
|
(6) is able to read and write; |
|
|
(7) has not served as a petit juror for six days during |
|
|
the preceding three months in the county court or during the |
|
|
preceding six months in the district court; |
|
|
(8) has not been convicted of misdemeanor theft or a |
|
|
felony; and |
|
|
(9) is not under indictment or other legal accusation |
|
|
for misdemeanor theft or a felony. |
|
|
(b) A person is not disqualified under Subsections (a)(3) |
|
|
and (4) to serve as a juror in a county with a population of less |
|
|
than 25,000 if that person is: |
|
|
(1) a resident of a county contiguous to the summoning |
|
|
county; |
|
|
(2) a resident of a county within the same judicial |
|
|
district as the summoning county; and |
|
|
(3) qualified under the constitution and laws to vote |
|
|
in the contiguous county. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
|
to the qualifications of a person summoned for jury service on or |
|
|
after the effective date of this Act. The qualifications of a |
|
|
person summoned for jury service before the effective date of this |
|
|
Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the summons was |
|
|
made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |