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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to including on the jury wheel card the current phone |
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number, if available, of a person qualified to be included in the |
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jury selection process. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 62.001(c) and (i), Government Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) Each year not later than the third Tuesday in November |
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or the date provided by Section 16.032, Election Code, for the |
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cancellation of voter registrations, whichever is earlier, the |
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voter registrar of each county shall furnish to the secretary of |
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state a current voter registration list from all the precincts in |
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the county that, except as provided by Subsection (d), includes: |
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(1) the complete name, mailing address, date of birth, |
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voter registration number, and precinct number for each voter; |
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(2) if available, the Texas driver's license number or |
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personal identification card or certificate number, [and] social |
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security number, and telephone number for each voter; and |
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(3) any other information included on the voter |
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registration list of the county. |
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(i) The commissioners court may, instead of using the method |
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provided by Subsections (c) through (h), contract with another |
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governmental unit or a private person to combine the voter |
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registration list with the list furnished by the Department of |
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Public Safety. Subsections (c) through (h) do not apply to a county |
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in which the commissioners court has contracted with another |
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governmental unit or a private person under this subsection. The |
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Department of Public Safety may not charge a fee for furnishing a |
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list under this subsection. Each list must contain the name, date |
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of birth, address, county of residence, and citizenship status of |
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each person listed and if available, the telephone number of each |
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person. If practical, each list must contain any other information |
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useful in determining if the person is qualified to serve as a |
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juror. |
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SECTION 2. Section 62.002, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 62.002. JURY WHEEL CARDS. (a) The officials or their |
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deputies who reconstitute the jury wheel shall write on a separate |
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jury wheel card of uniform size and color the name and, if possible, |
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the post office address and telephone number of each prospective |
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juror that resides in the county and whose name appears on the |
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current lists used under Section 62.001. The name of each |
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prospective juror may appear on only one card. |
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(b) In a county with a population of 140,000 or more, the |
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commissioners court shall employ typists who shall type the names, |
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[and] addresses, and if available, telephone numbers of qualified |
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prospective jurors on separate jury wheel cards of uniform size and |
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color under the direction and control of the district clerk. The |
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expenses incurred in typing the names, [and] addresses, and |
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telephone numbers must be authorized, reported, and paid and |
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accounted for under the laws and rules that govern the payment of |
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other expenses of the office of district clerk. The compensation of |
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the typists and the expenses are paid from the jury fund. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |