SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5084

As of January 28, 2003

Title: An act relating to selection of jurors.

Brief Description: Revising the method for selection of jurors.

Sponsors: Senators Stevens, Swecker, Mulliken and Honeyford.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Judiciary: 1/30/03.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Staff: Lidia Mori (786-7755)

Background: The "master jury list" is the list of prospective jurors from which jurors summoned to serve will be randomly selected. The master jury list may be randomly selected from the jury source list or may be an exact duplicate.

The "jury source list" for a county consists of all registered voters for the county merged with a list of the licensed drivers and identicard holders who reside in the county. Either the Department of Information Services or the county may accomplish the merger of the lists. The superior court of each county annually notifies the Department of Information Services of its election to use either a jury source list that is merged by the county, or one that is merged by the department.

Summary of Bill: The jury source list for a county is composed of all registered voters for the county. In order to be competent to serve as a juror in the state of Washington, a person must be a registered voter in the county in which he or she has been summoned to serve as a juror.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.