05 LC 29
1645
House
Bill 376
By:
Representatives Loudermilk of the
14th,
Fleming of the
117th,
Lunsford of the
110th,
Lewis of the
15th,
Mills of the
25th,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 15-12-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to exemptions from jury duty, so as to provide exemption for a primary caregiver
of a child who is four years of age or younger; to provide an exemption for a
primary teacher of children in a home study program; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 15-12-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
exemptions from jury duty, is amended by striking subsection (a), and inserting
in lieu thereof the following:
"(a)(1)
Any person who shows that he or she will be engaged during his or her term of
jury duty in work necessary to the public health, safety, or good order or who
shows other good cause why he or she should be exempt from jury duty may be
excused by the judge of the court to which he or she has been summoned or by
some other person who has been duly appointed by order of the chief judge to
excuse jurors. Such a person may exercise such authority only after the
establishment by court order of guidelines governing excuses. Any order of
appointment shall provide that, except for permanently mentally or physically
disabled persons, all excuses shall be deferred to a date and time certain
within that term or the next succeeding term or shall be deferred as set forth
in the court order.
(2)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, any person who is a full-time
student at a college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary
school who, during the period of time the student is enrolled and taking classes
or exams, requests to be excused or deferred from jury duty shall be excused or
deferred from jury duty.
(3)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, any person who is the primary
caregiver having active care and custody of a child
under
four years of age
or
younger, who executes an affidavit on a
form provided by the court stating that such person is the primary caregiver
having active care and custody of a child
under
four years of age
or
younger and stating that such person has
no reasonably available alternative child care, and who requests to be excused
or deferred shall be excused or deferred from jury duty. It shall be the duty of
the court to provide affidavits for the purpose of this subsection.
(4)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, any person who is a primary
teacher in a home study program as defined in subsection (c) of Code Section
20-2-690 who, during the period of time the person is teaching, requests to be
excused or deferred from jury duty shall be excused or deferred from jury
duty."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.