Bill Text: GA HB763 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Juries; certain persons ineligible to serve as trial or grand jurors; clarify
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 6-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-03-14 - Senate Read Second Time [HB763 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2011-HB763-Comm_Sub.html
12 LC 29
5080S
House
Bill 763 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By:
Representatives Atwood of the
179th,
Pak of the
102nd,
Willard of the
49th,
Ramsey of the
72nd,
and Maddox of the
127th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Chapter 12 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to juries, so as to clarify that certain persons shall be ineligible to serve as
trial or grand jurors; to provide for the use of jurors summoned prior to the
compilation of county master jury lists; to revise provisions relating to the
qualifications of grand jurors; to provide for related matters; to repeal
conflicting laws; to provide for an effective date; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Chapter
12 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to juries, is
amended by enacting a new Code Section 15-12-40 to read as follows:
"15-12-40.
Any
person who has been convicted of a felony in a state or federal court who has
not had his or her civil rights restored and any person who has been judicially
determined to be mentally incompetent shall not be eligible to serve as a trial
juror."
SECTION
2.
Said
chapter is further amended by revising subsection (e) of Code Section
15-12-40.1, relating to the state-wide master jury list, driver's license
information, list of registered voters, and random list of persons to comprise
venire, as follows:
"(e)
On and after July 1, 2012, in each county, upon court order, the clerk shall
choose a random list of persons from the county master jury list to comprise the
venire;
provided, however, that jurors summoned prior to July 1, 2012, shall remain
eligible to comprise the
venire."
SECTION
3.
Said
chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 15-12-60, relating to the
qualifications of grand jurors, as follows:
"15-12-60.
(a)
Except as
provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, all
citizens
Any
citizen of this state 18 years of age or
older who
are not
incompetent because of mental illness or mental retardation and who
have
has
resided in the county for at least six months preceding the time of service
shall be
qualified
eligible
and liable to serve as
a
grand
jurors
unless otherwise exempted by law
juror.
(b)
The
following persons shall not be eligible to serve as grand jurors:
(1)
Any person who holds any elective office in state or local government or who has
held any such office within a period of two years preceding the time of service
as a grand
juror;
and
(2)
Any person who has been convicted of a felony and who has not been pardoned or
had his or her civil rights restored
shall not be
eligible to serve as a grand
juror.
(c)
Any person who has been convicted of a felony in a state or federal court who
has not had his or her civil rights restored and any person who has been
judicially determined to be mentally incompetent shall not be eligible to serve
as a grand juror."
SECTION
4.
This
Act shall become effective on July 1, 2012.
SECTION
5.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
