HBA-MPM H.B. 3331 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3331
By: Solis, Juan
Judicial Affairs
4/30/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Historically, defendants in a jury trial have had access to a juror's
personal information.  This information may include the juror's name, home
and mailing address, phone number, and place of employment.  This personal
information may be disseminated to any number of sources which may include
the family of the defendant, friends of the defendant, or members of the
media.  H.B. 3331 limits the dissemination of this information to judges
assigned to hear a cause of action in which a person is a juror or
potential juror and to court personnel. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 62, Government Code, by adding
Section 62.0142, as follows: 

Sec. 62.0142.  JUROR CONFIDENTIALITY.  Defines "personal information" for
purposes of this section to include a juror or potential juror's name, home
and mailing addresses, phone number, and place of employment.  Provides
that this information obtained through the juror selection process under
this chapter is confidential and not subject to Chapter 552 (Public
Information), Government Code, with the exception that it may be disclosed
to a judge assigned to hear a cause of action in which a person is a juror
or potential juror and to court personnel.  Provides that this information
is not a judicial record for the purposes of the Rules of Judicial
Administration. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.