HBA-LCA H.B. 3792 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3792
By: Chavez
Judicial Affairs
4/13/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under Chapter 30, Government Code (Municipal Courts of Record), a petit
court juror in El Paso County must be a registered voter in the City of El
Paso.  Alternatively, Section 62.102(e)(3), Government Code, which relates
to the general qualifications for service on a petit jury, requires a juror
to be "qualified under the constitution and laws to vote in the County in
which he is to serve as juror."  Challenges to individual jurors have
arisen in El Paso County due to this conflict.  H.B. 3792 removes that
requirement from Section 30.00134 (Right to Jury Trial), which applies to
El Paso County, for jurors serving in El Paso municipal courts of record. 

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 Section 30.00134(b), Government Code, to delete the
requirement that a juror in a municipal court of record in El Paso be a
registered voter in the City of El Paso. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.