H.B. No. 3206 amends Article 35.23 of the Code of Criminal Procedure regarding the sequestration of juries in criminal cases. The bill allows the court to adjourn veniremen to any day of the term and grants the court discretion to permit jurors in felony cases to separate until the court has given its charge. After the charge, the court may order the jury not to separate, and a hearing must be held if a party requests that the jury remain together. The bill also establishes that any motion to prevent separation must be filed at least 10 days before jury selection unless good cause is shown for a later filing.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that if jurors are ordered not to separate and are kept overnight, separate facilities must be provided for female jurors. It also includes provisions for misdemeanor cases, allowing jurors to separate at any time before a verdict is reached, and mandates that jurors receive proper instructions regarding their conduct when separated. The changes will apply only to criminal proceedings that commence on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025.