ASSEMBLY, No. 977
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Atkins, Stanley, Assemblywoman Jaffer, Assemblyman Wimberly, Assemblywoman Jasey, Assemblymen Mukherji, Conaway, Assemblywoman Sumter, Assemblyman Sampson, Assemblywomen Carter, Tucker, Assemblymen Spearman, McClellan and Verrelli
SYNOPSIS
Eliminates conviction of indictable offense as automatic disqualifier for jury service under certain circumstances.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Judiciary Committee on December 4, 2023, with amendments.
An Act permitting persons with certain prior convictions to qualify for jury service, and amending N.J.S.2B:20-1.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.2B:20-1 is amended to read as follows:
2B:20-1. Qualifications of jurors.
Every person summoned as a juror 1shall1:
a. 1[shall]1 be 18 years of age or older;
b. 1[shall]1 be able to read and understand the English language;
c. 1[shall]1 be a citizen of the United States;
d. 1[shall]1 be a resident of the county in which the person is summoned;
e. [shall not have been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of this State, another state, or the United States;] 1[(Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)] not have been convicted of murder pursuant to N.J.S.2C:11-3 or aggravated sexual assault pursuant to subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:14-2;1
f. 1[shall] not be serving a sentence of incarceration for any indictable offense under the laws of this State, another state, or the United States; and
g.1 not have any mental or physical disability which will prevent the person from properly serving as a juror.
(cf: P.L.1997, c.127, s.1)
2. On the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), each juror source list compiled in accordance with N.J.S.2B:20-2 that is being used to select eligible persons for jury service shall be updated, to account for the change in juror qualifications established by that act, no later than the first day of the 1[four] fourth1 month next following enactment of that act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.