STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblyman ALBERT COUTINHO
District 29 (Essex)
Assemblywoman L. GRACE SPENCER
District 29 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Expands category of lists from which a single juror source list is compiled to include recipients of cash assistance or food stamps.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning juror source lists and amending N.J.S.2B:20-2.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.2B:20-2 is amended to read as follows:
2B:20-2. a. The names of persons eligible for jury service shall be selected from a single juror source list of county residents whose names and addresses shall be obtained from a merger of the following lists: registered voters, licensed drivers, filers of State gross income tax returns [and], filers of homestead rebate or credit application forms and recipients of cash assistance or food stamps pursuant to a federal or State program except as prohibited by federal law or regulation. The county election board, the Division of Motor Vehicles [and], the State Division of Taxation and the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services shall provide these lists annually to the Assignment Judge of the county. The Assignment Judge may provide for the merger of additional lists of persons eligible for jury service that may contribute to the breadth of the juror source list. Merger of the lists of eligible jurors into a single juror source list shall include a reasonable attempt to eliminate duplication of names.
b. The juror source list shall be compiled once a year or more often as directed by the Assignment Judge.
c. The juror source list may be expanded by the Supreme Court as it deems appropriate.
(cf: P.L.2007, c.62, s.41)
2. This act shall take effect 180 days following enactment but the Director of the Division of Family Development may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill expands the sources from which the single juror source list is compiled annually by the Assignment Judge of each county. At present, N.J.S.A.2B:20-2 provides that the names of persons eligible for jury service shall be selected from a merger of the following lists: registered voters, licensed drivers, filers of State gross income tax returns and filers of homestead rebate or credit application forms.
This bill expands that category of lists from which a single juror source list is compiled to include recipients of cash assistance or food stamps pursuant to a federal or State program. The bill directs the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services to provide these lists annually to the Assignment Judge of each county.