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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to reconstitution of the petit jury wheel and grand juror |
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and petit juror qualifications in certain counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 19A.101, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), a [A] person may |
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be selected or serve as a grand juror only if the person: |
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(1) is at least 18 years of age; |
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(2) is a citizen of the United States; |
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(3) is a resident of this state and of the county in |
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which the person is to serve; |
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(4) is qualified under the constitution and other laws |
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to vote in the county in which the grand jury is sitting, regardless |
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of whether the person is registered to vote; |
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(5) is of sound mind and good moral character; |
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(6) is able to read and write; |
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(7) has never been convicted of misdemeanor theft or a |
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felony; |
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(8) is not under indictment or other legal accusation |
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for misdemeanor theft or a felony; |
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(9) is not related within the third degree by |
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consanguinity or second degree by affinity, as determined under |
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Chapter 573, Government Code, to any person selected to serve or |
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serving on the same grand jury; |
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(10) has not served as a grand juror in the year before |
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the date on which the term of court for which the person has been |
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selected as a grand juror begins; and |
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(11) is not a complainant in any matter to be heard by |
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the grand jury during the term of court for which the person has |
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been selected as a grand juror. |
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(a-1) A person is not disqualified under Subsections (a)(3) |
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and (4) to serve as a grand juror in a county with a population of |
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less than 1,000 if that person is: |
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(1) a resident of a county contiguous to and within the |
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same judicial district as the summoning county; and |
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(2) qualified under the constitution and laws to vote |
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in the contiguous county. |
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SECTION 2. Article 19A.201, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), in a county with a |
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population of less than 1,000, grand jurors may be randomly |
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selected from a fair cross section of the population of one or more |
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counties contiguous to and within the same judicial district as the |
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summoning county who: |
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(1) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a valid |
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personal identification card or certificate issued by the |
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Department of Public Safety; and |
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(2) are not disqualified from grand jury service under |
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Article 19A.101(a)(1), (2), or (7). |
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SECTION 3. Section 62.001, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding Subsection (a-1) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), the [The] jury |
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wheel must be reconstituted by using, as the source: |
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(1) the names of all persons on the current voter |
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registration lists from all the precincts in the county; and |
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(2) all names on a current list to be furnished by the |
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Department of Public Safety, showing the residents [citizens] of |
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the county who: |
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(A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a |
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valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the |
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department; and |
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(B) are not disqualified from jury service under |
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Section 62.102(a)(1) [62.102(1)], (2), or (8). |
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(a-1) In a county with a population of less than 1,000, the |
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jury wheel may be reconstituted by using, in addition to the sources |
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required under Subsection (a): |
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(1) the names of all persons on the current voter |
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registration lists from all the precincts in one or more counties |
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contiguous to and within the same judicial district as the |
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summoning county; and |
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(2) all names on a list required by Subsection (a)(1) |
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showing the residents of one or more counties contiguous to and |
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within the same judicial district as the summoning county who: |
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(A) hold a valid Texas driver's license or a |
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valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the |
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Department of Public Safety; and |
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(B) are not disqualified from jury service under |
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Section 62.102(a)(1), (2), or (8). |
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(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (a-1), the names of |
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persons listed on a register of persons exempt from jury service may |
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not be placed in the jury wheel, as provided by Sections 62.108, |
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62.109, 62.113, 62.114, and 62.115. |
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(d) The lists [list] required by Subsections [Subsection] |
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(a)(1) and (a-1)(1) must exclude the names of persons on the |
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suspense list maintained under Section 15.081, Election Code. |
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SECTION 4. Section 62.0132(g), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(g) The information contained in a completed questionnaire |
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may be disclosed to: |
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(1) a judge assigned to hear a cause of action in which |
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the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential juror; |
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(2) court personnel; |
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(3) a litigant and a litigant's attorney in a cause of |
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action in which the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential |
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juror; and |
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(4) other than information provided that is related to |
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Section 62.102(a)(8) [62.102(8)] or (9), the voter registrar of a |
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county in connection with any matter of voter registration or the |
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administration of elections. |
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SECTION 5. Section 62.102, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 62.102. GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR JURY SERVICE. (a) |
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Except as provided by Subsection (b), a [A] person is disqualified |
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to serve as a petit juror unless the person: |
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(1) is at least 18 years of age; |
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(2) is a citizen of the United States; |
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(3) is a resident of this state and of the county in |
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which the person is to serve as a juror; |
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(4) is qualified under the constitution and laws to |
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vote in the county in which the person is to serve as a juror; |
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(5) is of sound mind and good moral character; |
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(6) is able to read and write; |
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(7) has not served as a petit juror for six days during |
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the preceding three months in the county court or during the |
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preceding six months in the district court; |
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(8) has not been convicted of misdemeanor theft or a |
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felony; and |
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(9) is not under indictment or other legal accusation |
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for misdemeanor theft or a felony. |
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(b) A person is not disqualified under Subsections (a)(3) |
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and (4) to serve as a juror in a county with a population of less |
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than 1,000 if that person is: |
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(1) a resident of a county contiguous to and within the |
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same judicial district as the summoning county; and |
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(2) qualified under the constitution and laws to vote |
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in the contiguous county. |
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SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to the qualifications of a person summoned for grand jury or petit |
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jury service on or after the effective date of this Act. The |
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qualifications of a person summoned for grand jury or petit jury |
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service before the effective date of this Act are governed by the |
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law in effect on the date the summons was made, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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* * * * * |