BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1283
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
1283 (Ting)
As Introduced February 27, 2015
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes |Ayes |Noes |
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|Judiciary |8-2 |Mark Stone, Alejo, |Wagner, Gallagher |
| | |Chau, Chiu, Cristina | |
| | |Garcia, Holden, | |
| | |Maienschein, | |
| | |O'Donnell | |
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SUMMARY: Adds a new characteristic to the non-exempt list for
eligible jurors. Specifically, this bill includes marital status
in the list of characteristics for which an eligible person may
not be exempted from jury service.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Provides that no eligible person shall be exempt from service as
a trial juror by reason of occupation, economic status, or any
characteristic listed or defined in Government Code Section
11135 (as set out in item 2) below), or for any other reason.
2)Prohibits discrimination by the state and state-funded
entities in all programs or activities with respect to race,
national origin, ethnic group identification, religion, age,
AB 1283
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sex, sexual orientation, color, genetic information, or
disability, as defined.
FISCAL EFFECT: None
COMMENTS: The author explains the reason for this bill as
follows:
Jury service is one of our most fundamental civic rights
and responsibilities. Current law prohibits
discrimination in jury service based on one's
occupation, economic status, race, national origin,
ethnic group identification, religion, age, sex, sexual
orientation, color, genetic information, or disability
to ensure a diverse jury pool to protect the right of
trial by a jury of one's peers.
AB 1283 further specifies that an individual shall not
be exempt from jury service due to their marital status,
modeling juror non-discrimination statutes already
enacted in three other states and the District of
Columbia. This additional clarification is especially
important following the legalization of same-sex
marriage in California in 2013 and the rise [in] modern
family structures led by non-married couples or single
individuals, and is necessary to ensure fair and
representative juries are selected.
This Bill Updates the List of Exemptions For an Otherwise Eligible
Juror To Clarify That Marital Status May Not Be Considered A
Ground to Exempt A Person From Jury Service. Existing law sets
forth a list of characteristics on which an exemption to jury
service may not be based. That list was amended by AB 14 (Laird),
Chapter 568, Statutes of 2007, to reflect changes in the state's
general non-discrimination statute, Government Code Section 11135,
but marital status was not included in those amendments.
AB 1283
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Analysis Prepared by:
Khadijah Hargett / JUD. / (916) 319-2334 FN:
0000264