Bill > A3676

Introduced Session

This bill would make it unlawful to disqualify a person from jury service based on the person's gender identity or affectional or sexual orientation. In addition, any officer or other person responsible for the selection or summoning of jurors who excludes or fails to summon a person based on the person's gender identity or affectional or sexual orientation would be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree and fined up to $5,000.00. Under current law, it is unlawful to disqualify a citizen for service as a grand or petit juror based on race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status or sex, and any officer or other person responsible for the selection or summoning of jurors who excludes or fails to summon any citizen on such basis, who possesses all other qualifications prescribed by law is guilty of a misdemeanor, and subject to a fine of up to $5,000. In addition to prohibiting disqualification based on gender identity or affectional or sexual orientation, the bill would also update the statute to be consistent with Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes, "New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice," P.L.1978, c.95. Title 2C abolishes the categories of "misdemeanor" and "high misdemeanor" and sets out rules for their classification within the new statutory scheme. (See N.J.S.2C:1-4, 2C:1-5, and 2C:43-1). Pursuant to the new scheme, a violation of this provision would be a crime of the fourth degree.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Reed Gusciora (D)*,  John McKeon (D)*,  Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D)*,  Nicholas Chiaravalloti (D),  Timothy Eustace (D),  Mila Jasey (D),  L. Grace Spencer (D), 

Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee (on 06/30/2016)