REPORT TITLE:
Service as Juror; Exemption


DESCRIPTION:
Repeals the exemption from jury service for attorneys, heads of
executive departments, elected officials, judges, ministers or
priests, practicing physicians or dentists, and active members of
the armed forces, police, and fire department. (HB83 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        83
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO COURTS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that under current law
 
 2 persons are exempted from jury service based solely on their
 
 3 occupational status.  The legislature believes that a repeal of
 
 4 the current "employment based" exemptions to the jury selection
 
 5 process will create a larger jury pool representing a more
 
 6 diverse cross-section of the community.  This diversity will
 
 7 strengthen the public's perception of a fair and equitable
 
 8 justice system while ensuring that constitutional requirements
 
 9 are met.
 
10      SECTION 2.  Section 612-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
11 amended to read as follows:
 
12      "§612-6 Exempt when.(a)  No person shall be authorized to
 
13 claim an exemption from service as a juror in the courts of the
 
14 first circuit from January 1, 1989, through December 31, 1990,
 
15 and in the courts of all circuits, other than the first circuit
 
16 from January 1, 1990, through December 31, 1991.
 
17      (b)  From January 1, 1991, for the courts of the first
 
18 circuit, and from January 1, 1992, for all other circuits of the
 
19 State, a person may claim exemption from service as a juror if
 
20 the person is:
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (1)  An attorney at law;
 
 2      (2)  A head of an executive department, an elected official,
 
 3           or a judge, of the United States, State, or county;
 
 4      (3)  A minister or priest following the minister's or
 
 5           priest's profession;
 
 6      (4)  A practicing physician or dentist;
 
 7      (5)  A member of the armed forces or militia when on active
 
 8           service, or an active member of a police or fire
 
 9           department;
 
10      (6)  A person who has served as a juror, either in a court
 
11           of this State or the United States District Court for
 
12           the District of Hawaii, within one year preceding the
 
13           time of filling out the juror qualification form.
 
14      (c)  Notwithstanding subsection (b), from the effective date
 
15 of this Act until June 30, 2001, no person may claim exemption
 
16 from service as a juror in any court unless the person has served
 
17 as a juror, either in a court of this State or the United States
 
18 District Court of the District of Hawaii, within one year
 
19 preceding the time of filling out the juror qualification form."
 
20      SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
21      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval;
 
22 provided that on June 30, 2001, this Act shall be repealed and
 
23 section 612-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is reenacted in the form
 
24 in which it read on the day before the approval of this Act.