Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB435 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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	5	hb0435
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 435
8	8	D1 5lr2384
9	9	HB 446/24 – JUD
10	10	By: Delegates Roberson, Alston, Kaufman, Pasteur, Wilkins, and Woods
11	11	Introduced and read first time: January 16, 2025
12	12	Assigned to: Judiciary
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Courts – Jury Service – Disqualification 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of altering the circumstances under which an individual who has been 3
21	21	convicted of a crime is not qualified for jury service; and generally relating to jury 4
22	22	service. 5
23	23
24	24	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
25	25	Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 7
26	26	Section 8–103 8
27	27	Annotated Code of Maryland 9
28	28	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
29	29
30	30	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
31	31	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
32	32
33	33	Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 13
34	34
35	35	8–103. 14
36	36
37	37	(a) Notwithstanding § 8–102 of this subtitle, an individual qualifies for jury 15
38	38	service for a county only if the individual: 16
39	39
40	40	(1) Is an adult as of the day selected as a prospective juror; 17
41	41
42	42	(2) Is a citizen of the United States; and 18
43	43
44	44	(3) Resides in the county as of the day sworn as a juror. 19
45	45
46	46	(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section and subject to the federal 20
47	47	Americans with Disabilities Act, an individual is not qualified for jury service if the 21
48	48	individual: 22 2 HOUSE BILL 435
49	49
50	50
51	51
52	52	(1) Cannot comprehend spoken English or speak English; 1
53	53
54	54	(2) Cannot comprehend written English, read English, or write English 2
55	55	proficiently enough to complete a juror qualification form satisfactorily; 3
56	56
57	57	(3) Has a disability that, as documented by a health care provider’s 4
58	58	certification, prevents the individual from providing satisfactory jury service; 5
59	59
60	60	(4) Has been convicted, in a federal or State court of record, of [a]: 6
61	61
62	62	(I) A crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year and 7
63	63	[received a sentence of imprisonment for more than 1 year] IS CURRENTLY SERVING THE 8
64	64	SENTENCE IMPOSED FOR THE CONVICTION , INCLUDING A TERM OF PARO LE OR 9
65	65	PROBATION; or 10
66	66
67	67	(II) A CRIME INVOLVING OR R ELATING TO: 11
68	68
69	69	1. PERJURY; 12
70	70
71	71	2. WITNESS INTIMIDATION ; 13
72	72
73	73	3. JURY INTIMIDATION ; OR 14
74	74
75	75	4. A CRIME UNDER TITLE 8 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW 15
76	76	ARTICLE; OR 16
77	77
78	78	(5) Has a charge pending, in a federal or State court of record, for a crime 17
79	79	punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year. 18
80	80
81	81	[(c) An individual qualifies for jury service notwithstanding a disqualifying 19
82	82	conviction under subsection (b)(4) of this section if the individual is pardoned.] 20
83	83
84	84	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 21
85	85	October 1, 2025. 22
86	86