HBA-AMW H.B. 1413 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1413 By: Farrar Criminal Jurisprudence 4/3/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Jury misconduct is one of the reasons for mistrial or appeal of a jury decision. Although rules exist regarding the competency of a juror as a witness and the testimony of the juror, these rules are not codified. House Bill 1413 adds provisions regarding testimony by a member of a jury to the Code of Criminal Procedure. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 1413 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to prohibit a juror from testifying in the trial of a case before the jury on which the juror sits as a member and provide that if a juror is called to testify in violation of this prohibition, the opposing party is entitled to object to the testimony outside of the presence of the jury. The bill sets forth provisions relating to matters about which a juror is prohibited from testifying and provides that an affidavit or evidence of a statement by a juror concerning these matters is not admissible. H.B. 1413 authorizes a juror, on inquiry into the validity of a verdict or indictment, to testify as to any matter relevant to the validity of the verdict or indictment. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.