HB1367
To Amend The Law Concerning The Process Of Jury Selection.
Last Action (May 1, 2023): Died in House Committee at Sine Die Adjournment
Sponsors
AI-Generated Summary
House Bill 1367 proposes to amend Arkansas law to modernize and change the source lists used for selecting prospective grand and petit jurors. The primary action taken by the bill is shifting the foundational criteria for jury pool selection from 'registered voters' to 'licensed drivers' throughout the Arkansas Code. It updates the procedures for circuit judges and clerks to select names from these lists, whether via manual processes or computerized systems. The bill also authorizes the inclusion of individuals who have been issued state identification cards in addition to licensed drivers for potential jury service. Furthermore, it modifies the administrative process for how lists are provided by the Department of Finance and Administration and the Secretary of State to the circuit courts. The overall intent is to streamline the jury pool creation process by prioritizing lists of licensed drivers to ensure an adequate cross-section of the community is represented.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill are the judicial system and circuit court administrators, who would have a more standardized and updated mechanism for compiling jury pools. By shifting the reliance toward lists of licensed drivers and those with state identification cards, the courts may see a more inclusive and larger pool of potential jurors, potentially increasing the efficiency of the jury selection process and better ensuring a representative cross-section of the community.
Who Might Suffer?
Individuals who are registered voters but do not possess a driver's license or a state-issued identification card may be negatively impacted, as the bill shifts the focus of the jury pool creation away from voter registration lists toward lists derived from the Department of Finance and Administration. While the bill aims to maintain representation, those whose only connection to civic records is their voter registration might face changes in how they are identified or reached for jury service compared to the current system, potentially leading to confusion or temporary administrative inconsistencies in some counties.
Get Notified
Receive an email when this bill's status changes.