H.B. No. 1271




AN ACT
relating to the voter registration of certain persons disqualified from jury service. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 62, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 62.0142 to read as follows: Sec. 62.0142. NOTICE ON WRITTEN SUMMONS. If a written summons for jury duty allows a person to claim a disqualification or exemption by signing a statement and returning it to the clerk of the court, the form must notify the person that by claiming a disqualification or exemption based on the lack of citizenship or lack of residence in the county the person might no longer be eligible to vote in the county. SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 62, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 62.114 to read as follows: Sec. 62.114. COMPILATION OF LIST OF NONRESIDENTS. (a) The clerk of the court shall maintain a list containing the name and address of each person who is excused or disqualified under this subchapter from jury service because the person is not a resident of the county. (b) On the third business day of each month, the clerk shall send to the voter registrar of the county a copy of the list of persons excused or disqualified in the previous month because the persons do not reside in the county. (c) A list compiled under this section may not be used for a purpose other than a purpose described by Subsection (b) or Section 15.081, Election Code. (d) The voter registrar shall notify each person contained on a list sent to the registrar under Subsection (b) at the address shown on the person's jury summons that the person is being placed on the county's suspense list of registered voters because of the person's excuse or disqualification from jury service based on nonresidence in the county. The notice must include information describing how the person may be removed from the suspense list and restored to regular voter registration in the county. SECTION 3. Section 15.081(a), Election Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) The registrar shall maintain a suspense list containing the name of each voter: (1) who fails to submit a response to the registrar in accordance with Section 15.053; (2) [or] whose renewal certificate is returned to the registrar in accordance with Subchapter B, Chapter 14; or (3) who appears on the list of nonresidents of the county provided to the registrar under Section 62.114, Government Code. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 1271 was passed by the House on April 13, 2005, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 1271 was passed by the Senate on May 21, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________ Date _____________________ Governor