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HB 212 - Jury duty; exempt primary caregiver of child under 6

Grindley, Jr., George H (35th)	Richardson, James G (26th)

Status Summary	HC:	Judy	SC:		FR:	01/26/99	LA:	01/27/99	H - Read 2nd Time

First Reader Summary

A BILL to amend Code Section 15-21-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to exemptions from jury duty, so as to provide for the exemption from jury duty of any person who is the primary caregiver having active care and custody of a child under six years of age; and for other purposes.

HB 212                                             LC 25 1121 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
                               AN ACT 
 
 
  1- 1  To amend Code Section 15-12-1 of the Official Code of 
  1- 2  Georgia Annotated, relating to exemptions from jury duty, so 
  1- 3  as to provide for the exemption from jury duty of any person 
  1- 4  who is the primary caregiver having active care and custody 
  1- 5  of a child under six years of age; to provide for 
  1- 6  affidavits; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other 
  1- 7  purposes. 
 
  1- 8       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 
 
  1- 9                           SECTION 1. 
 
  1-10  Code Section 15-12-1 of the Official Code of Georgia 
  1-11  Annotated, relating to exemptions from jury duty, is amended 
  1-12  by striking subsection (a) of said Code section and 
  1-13  inserting in its place the following: 
 
  1-14      "(a)(1) Any person who shows that he or she will be 
  1-15      engaged during his or her term of jury duty in work 
  1-16      necessary to the public  health, safety, or good order 
  1-17      or who shows other good cause why he or she should be 
  1-18      exempt from jury duty may be excused by the judge of the 
  1-19      court to which he or she has been summoned or by some 
  1-20      other person  who has been duly appointed by order of 
  1-21      the chief judge to excuse jurors. Such a person may 
  1-22      exercise such authority only after the establishment by 
  1-23      court order of guidelines governing excuses.  Any order 
  1-24      of appointment shall provide that, except for 
  1-25      permanently mentally or physically disabled persons, all 
  1-26      excuses shall be deferred to a date and time certain 
  1-27      within that term or the next succeeding term or shall be 
  1-28      deferred as set forth in the court order. 
 
  1-29      (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, 
  1-30      any person who is the primary caregiver having active 
  1-31      care and custody of a child under six years of age, who 
  1-32      executes an affidavit on a form provided by the court 
  1-33      administrator of such court stating that such person is 
  1-34      the primary caregiver having active care and custody of 
 
 
 
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  2- 1      a child under six years of age, and who requests an 
  2- 2      exemption shall be excused from jury duty.  It shall be 
  2- 3      the duty of the court administrator to provide 
  2- 4      affidavits for the purpose of this subsection." 
 
  2- 5                           SECTION 2. 
 
  2- 6  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
  2- 7  repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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