State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Engrossed ][ Enrolled ][ Senate Amendment 001 ]

91_SB0178

 
                                               LRB9103017RCdv

 1        AN ACT to amend the Jury Act by changing Section 10.2.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.   The Jury Act is amended by changing Section
 5    10.2 as follows:

 6        (705 ILCS 305/10.2) (from Ch. 78, par. 10.2)
 7        Sec. 10.2.  Excusing prospective jurors; hardship.
 8        (a)  The county boards of the  respective  counties,  the
 9    jury   commissioners  for  those  counties  which  have  been
10    appointed under the Jury Commission Act, pursuant to "An  Act
11    in  relation  to jury commissioners and authorizing judges to
12    appoint such commissioners and to make rules concerning their
13    powers and duties", approved June 15, 1887, as amended, or  a
14    jury   administrator  shall  have  the  authority  to  submit
15    questionnaires to prospective jurors to inquire as  to  their
16    qualifications  for  jury service and as to the hardship that
17    jury service would pose  to  the  prospective  jurors.   Upon
18    prior approval by the chief judge of the judicial circuits in
19    which   a   county   board,   jury   administrator,  or  jury
20    commissioners  are   situated,   the   county   board,   jury
21    administrator,   or   jury   commissioners   shall  excuse  a
22    prospective juror from jury service if the prospective  juror
23    shows  that  such  service  would impose an undue hardship on
24    account of the nature of the prospective juror's  occupation,
25    business  affairs,  physical health, family situation, active
26    duty  in  the  Illinois  National  Guard  or  Illinois  Naval
27    Militia, or other personal affairs, and cause his or her name
28    to be returned to the jury list or general jury list.
29        (b)  The county boards of the  respective  counties,  the
30    jury   commissioners  for  those  counties  which  have  been
31    appointed  under  the  Jury  Commission  Act,   or   a   jury
 
                            -2-                LRB9103017RCdv
 1    administrator  shall  in  their questionnaires to prospective
 2    jurors inquire whether the prospective jurors are parents  or
 3    guardians of a child under 12 years of age or of a child with
 4    a physical or mental disability or of a child with a behavior
 5    problem;   whether  the  parent  or  guardian  must  spend  a
 6    substantial portion of his or her time caring for that child;
 7    and whether jury service would pose an undue hardship for the
 8    parent or guardian and the child.
 9        The   county   board,   jury   commissioners,   or   jury
10    administrator shall excuse  a  prospective  juror  from  jury
11    service  if  they  receive a questionnaire from a prospective
12    juror that states that the  prospective  juror  is  currently
13    caring  for  a  child  under  12 years of age, a child with a
14    physical or mental disability, or a child with  a  behavioral
15    problem  and  that  jury service would pose an undue hardship
16    for the parent or guardian and the child, unless  the  county
17    board,  jury  commissioners, or jury administrator determines
18    that the prospective juror is essential to its jury pool, and
19    unless the county provides  transportation  or  reimbursement
20    for  the  parent  or guardian and child and reimbursement for
21    day care.
22        (c)  It is unlawful  for  a  county  board  member,  jury
23    commissioner, jury administrator, or other public official to
24    summon  a parent or guardian of a child under 12 years of age
25    or a parent or guardian of a child with a physical or  mental
26    disability  or  a  behavioral  problem if the county does not
27    provide for day care services and if the parent  or  guardian
28    reports  to  the  county  board,  jury commissioners, or jury
29    administrator that he or she is unable to secure adequate day
30    care services for his or her child.
31        (d)  It is unlawful for any public official  or  employee
32    to impede or detain a parent or guardian on jury service from
33    caring  for  a  child under 12 years of age or a child with a
34    physical or mental disability  or  with  a  behavior  problem
 
                            -3-                LRB9103017RCdv
 1    unless  the  parent  or guardian reports to the county board,
 2    jury  commissioners,  or  jury   administrator   that   other
 3    arrangements have been made to care for the child.
 4        (e)  A   public   official   or   employee  who  violates
 5    subsection (c) or (d) of this Section is guilty of a Class  3
 6    felony.
 7    (Source: P.A. 90-482, eff. 1-1-98.)

 8        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect July
 9    1, 1999.

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