FINAL BILL REPORT

                     ESHB 1729

                                 C 242 L 91

                            Synopsis As Enacted

Brief Description:  Preparing a plan for an expanded juror list.

By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Wineberry, Vance, Inslee, Dellwo, Wang, Forner and Anderson; by request of Administrator for the Courts).

House Committee on Judiciary

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Background:  The jury source list from which jurors are selected consists exclusively of registered voters.  This use of voter registration lists as the sole source of jurors has received criticism on at least two grounds.  First, it reduces the likelihood that a jury will represent a fair cross section of the community, one of the goals of the American jury system.  Second, a significant number of citizens may choose not to register to vote simply to avoid jury duty, thereby frustrating one of the goals of a participatory democracy.

Various groups, including the Washington Judicial Council and the Commission on Washington Courts, have recommended expansion of the jury source list.  One recommended addition would include persons with drivers' licenses.  The merging of lists of licensed drivers with lists of registered voters requires care to avoid double counting and other problems.  At least nine other states have merged these two lists to compile their jury source lists.

Summary:  A group of public and semi-public agencies is directed to prepare a plan for the merging of the lists of registered voters and licensed drivers (including persons issued identification cards instead of drivers' licenses) in order to compile a jury source list.  The group consists of:

othe Office of the Administrator for the Courts;

othe Superior Court Judges Association;

othe District and Municipal Court Judges Association;

othe Association of County Clerks;

othe Office of Financial Management;

othe Secretary of State;

othe Association of County Auditors;

othe Department of Licensing;

othe State Bar Association;

othe Association of Superior Court Administrators; and

othe Association for Court Administration.

The plan and proposed legislation are to be submitted to the Legislature by January 1, 1992.  The plan is to be designed for implementation by January 1, 1993.

Votes on Final Passage:

House 97    0

Senate   45    0

Effective:     July 28, 1991