Eliminates conviction of indictable offense as automatic disqualifier for jury service under certain circumstances.

A1666

ASSEMBLY, No. 1666

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Assemblyman� CHIGOZIE U. ONYEMA

District 28 (Essex and Union)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Stanley, Sampson, Assemblywomen Carter, Tucker,
Assemblymen Spearman, McClellan, Verrelli, Assemblywomen Haider, Morales and
Brennan

SYNOPSIS

���� Eliminates conviction of indictable offense as
automatic disqualifier for jury service under certain circumstances.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
permitting persons with certain prior convictions to
qualify for jury service, and amending N.J.S.2B:20-1.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� N.J.S.2B:20-1 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 2B:20-1.��� Qualifications of
jurors.

���� Every person summoned as a
juror
shall
:

���� a.
[
shall
]
be 18 years of age or older;

���� b.

[
shall
]
be able to
read and understand the English language;

���� c.
[
shall
]
be a citizen of the United
States;

���� d.
[
shall
]
be a resident of the county in
which the person is summoned;

���� e.����
[
shall not have been convicted of any
indictable offense under the laws of this State, another state, or the United
States;
]
not
have been convicted of murder pursuant to N.J.S.2C:11-3 or aggravated sexual
assault pursuant to subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:14-2;

���� f.����
[
shall
]

not be
serving a sentence of incarceration for any indictable offense under the laws
of this State, another state, or the United States; and

����
g.
not have any mental
or physical disability which will prevent the person from properly serving as a
juror.

(cf: P.L.1997, c.127, s.1)

���� 2.��� On the effective date of
P.L.��� , c.�� (pending before the Legislature as this bill), each juror source
list compiled in accordance with N.J.S.2B:20-2 that is being used to select
eligible persons for jury service shall be updated, to account for the change
in juror qualifications established by that act, no later than the first day of
the fourth month next following enactment of that act.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill would permit persons
with past convictions of indictable offenses to serve on juries under certain
circumstances.� Under current law, these convictions, whether based on
violations of New Jersey law, another state�s law, or federal law, are automatic
disqualifiers for jury service.�

���� Under the bill, a person would
still be automatically disqualified for jury service if:

���� (1) the person was ever
convicted of murder or aggravated sexual assault; or

���� (2) the person is serving a
sentence of incarceration for an indictable offense under the laws of this
State, another state, or the United States.