HBA-BSM H.B. 3203 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3203
By: Jones, Jesse
Judicial Affairs
4/25/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a potential juror's name may not be struck from the jury
wheel if the summons is returned as undeliverable.  However, current law
does not allow for the jury wheel to be updated if the summons is returned
with a change of address notification attached.  House Bill 3203 authorizes
the county or district court to update the jury wheel with the potential
juror's forwarding address if that address accompanies the returned jury
summons.   

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 3203 amends the Government Code to provide that the jury wheel
must be reconstituted by using change of address information provided by
the United States Postal Service (USPS) for the names collected by using
the current voter registration lists and all names on a current list
furnished by the Department of Public Safety.  The bill provides that if a
written summons for jury service is returned to the sheriff, constable, or
bailiff with a notation from USPS of a change of address for the person
summoned, the county or district clerk is authorized to change the jury
wheel card for that person to reflect the new address.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.