AN ACT Relating to jury selection; and amending RCW 2.36.080.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 2.36.080 and 2015 c 7 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) It is the policy of this state that all persons selected for jury service be selected at random from a fair cross section of the population of the area served by the court, and that all qualified citizens have the opportunity in accordance with chapter 135, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. to be considered for jury service in this state and have an obligation to serve as jurors when summoned for that purpose.

(2) It is the policy of this state to maximize the availability of residents of the state for jury service. It also is the policy of this state to minimize the burden on the prospective jurors, their families, and employers resulting from jury service. The jury term and jury service should be set at as brief an interval as is practical given the size of the jury source list for the judicial district. The optimal jury term is one week or less. Optimal juror service is one day or one trial, whichever is longer.

(3) A citizen shall not be excluded from jury service in this state on account of membership in a protected class recognized in RCW 49.60.030, or on account of ((race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or)) economic status.

(4) This section does not affect the right to peremptory challenges under RCW 4.44.130, the right to general causes of challenge under RCW 4.44.160, the right to particular causes of challenge under RCW 4.44.170, or a judge's duty to excuse a juror under RCW 2.36.110.

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