Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB34 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3		EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4		[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5		-	Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6		-	Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7		-	amendment.
8	5		sb0034
9	6
10	7		SENATE BILL 34
11	8		D1 4lr1422
12	9		SB 97/23 – JPR (PRE–FILED)
13	10		By: Senator Carter
14	11		Requested: November 1, 2023
15	12		Introduced and read first time: January 10, 2024
16	13		Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
17		-	Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
18		-	Senate action: Adopted
19		-	Read second time: February 27, 2024
20	14
21		-	~~CHAPTER ______~~
	15	+	A BILL ENTITLED
22	16
23	17		AN ACT concerning 1
24	18
25	19		Courts – Jury Service – Disqualification 2
26	20
27	21		FOR the purpose of altering the circumstances under which an individual who has been 3
28	22		convicted of a crime is not qualified for jury service; and generally relating to jury 4
29	23		service. 5
30	24
31	25		BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
32	26		Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 7
33	27		Section 8–103 8
34	28		Annotated Code of Maryland 9
35	29		(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 10
36	30
37	31		SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
38	32		That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
39	33
40	34		Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 13
41	35
42	36		8–103. 14
43	37
44	38		(a) Notwithstanding § 8–102 of this subtitle, an individual qualifies for jury 15
45	39		service for a county only if the individual: 16
46	40
47	41		(1) Is an adult as of the day selected as a prospective juror; 17
	42	+
	43	+	(2) Is a citizen of the United States; and 18
	44	+
	45	+	(3) Resides in the county as of the day sworn as a juror. 19
48	46		2 SENATE BILL 34
49	47
50	48
51		-	(2) Is a citizen of the United States; and 1
	49	+	(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section and subject to the federal 1
	50	+	Americans with Disabilities Act, an individual is not qualified for jury service if the 2
	51	+	individual: 3
52	52
53		-	(3) ~~Resides in the county as of the day sworn as a juror. 2~~
	53	+	(1) Cannot comprehend spoken English or speak English; 4
54	54
55		-	(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section and subject to the federal 3
56		-	Americans with Disabilities Act, an individual is not qualified for jury service if the 4
57		-	individual: 5
	55	+	(2) Cannot comprehend written English, read English, or write English 5
	56	+	proficiently enough to complete a juror qualification form satisfactorily; 6
58	57
59		-	(1) Cannot comprehend spoken English or speak English; 6
	58	+	(3) Has a disability that, as documented by a health care provider’s 7
	59	+	certification, prevents the individual from providing satisfactory jury service; 8
60	60
61		-	(2) Cannot comprehend written English, read English, or write English 7
62		-	proficiently enough to complete a juror qualification form satisfactorily; 8
	61	+	(4) Has been convicted, in a federal or State court of record, of [a]: 9
63	62
64		-	(3) Has a disability that, as documented by a health care provider’s 9
65		-	certification, prevents the individual from providing satisfactory jury service; 10
	63	+	(I) A crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year and 10
	64	+	[received a sentence of imprisonment for more than 1 year] IS CURRENTLY SERVING THE 11
	65	+	SENTENCE IMPOSED FOR THE CONVICTION , INCLUDING A TERM OF PAROLE OR 12
	66	+	PROBATION; or 13
66	67
67		-	(4) ~~Has been convicted, in~~ a ~~federal~~ or ~~State court of record, of [a]~~: 11
	68	+	(II) A CRIME INVOLVING OR R ELATING TO: 14
68	69
69		-	(I) A crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year and 12
70		-	[received a sentence of imprisonment for more than 1 year] IS CURRENTLY SERVING THE 13
71		-	SENTENCE IMPOSED FOR THE CONVICTION , INCLUDING A TERM OF PAROLE OR 14
72		-	PROBATION; or 15
	70	+	1. PERJURY; 15
73	71
74		-	~~(II) A CRIME INVOLVING OR R ELATING TO:~~ 16
	72	+	2. WITNESS INTIMIDATION ; 16
75	73
76		-	1. ~~PERJURY~~; 17
	74	+	3. JURY INTIMIDATION ; OR 17
77	75
78		-	2. WITNESS INTIMIDATION ; 18
	76	+	4. A CRIME UNDER TITLE 8 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW 18
	77	+	ARTICLE; OR 19
79	78
80		-	3. JURY INTIMIDATION ; 19
	79	+	(5) Has a charge pending, in a federal or State court of record, for a crime 20
	80	+	punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year. 21
81	81
82		-	~~4. BRIBING~~ A ~~PUBLIC EMPL OYEE UNDER § 9–201 OF THE 20~~
83		-	~~CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE;~~ 21
	82	+	[(c) An individual qualifies for jury service notwithstanding a disqualifying 22
	83	+	conviction under subsection (b)(4) of this section if the individual is pardoned.] 23
84	84
85		-	5. BRIBING A JUROR UNDER § 9–202 OF THE CRIMINAL 22
86		-	LAW ARTICLE; OR 23
87		-
88		-	4. 6. A CRIME UNDER TITLE 8 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW 24
89		-	ARTICLE; OR 25
90		-
91		-	(5) Has a charge pending, in a federal or State court of record, for a crime 26
92		-	punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year. 27
93		-
94		-	[(c) An individual qualifies for jury service notwithstanding a disqualifying 28
95		-	conviction under subsection (b)(4) of this section if the individual is pardoned.] 29
96		-	SENATE BILL 34 3
97		-
98		-
99		-	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 1
100		-	October 1, 2024. 2
101		-
102		-
103		-
104		-
105		-	Approved:
106		-	________________________________________________________________________________
107		-	Governor.
108		-	________________________________________________________________________________
109		-	President of the Senate.
110		-	________________________________________________________________________________
111		-	Speaker of the House of Delegates.
	85	+	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
	86	+	October 1, 2024. 25