Bill Text: TX HB480 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Relating to a challenge to a grand juror and the recording of certain proceedings relating to the grand jury.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-01 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB480 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB480-Comm_Sub.html
  86R21916 AJZ-D
 
  By: Schaefer H.B. No. 480
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 480:
 
  By:  Moody C.S.H.B. No. 480
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a challenge to a grand juror and the recording of
  certain proceedings relating to the grand jury.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 19, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Article 19.211 to read as follows:
         Art. 19.211.  RECORDING OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS RELATING TO
  GRAND JURY. A stenographer or a person operating an electronic
  recording device capable of recording sound shall record:
               (1)  an interrogation of a prospective grand juror that
  is conducted under Article 19.22;
               (2)  a challenge to the array under Article 19.30;
               (3)  a challenge to a prospective grand juror under
  Article 19.31; 
               (4)  an oath administered to grand jurors under Article
  19.34; and
               (5)  the court's instructions to the grand jury under
  Article 19.35.
         SECTION 2.  Article 19.31, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  The court shall allow the attorney representing the
  state a reasonable opportunity to question a grand juror in order to
  determine whether the juror may be challenged under Subsection
  (a)(1), (2), (3), (4), (7), or (10).
         SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies to a
  grand jury impaneled on or after the effective date of this Act. A
  grand jury impaneled before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the grand jury was
  impaneled, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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