SB 344 Summary

• Requires the Jury Administrator to compile jury pools from multiple state databases including motor vehicle operators, identity card holders, income tax filers, unemployment compensation recipients, voter registrations, and deceased persons lists, effective October 1, 2019.

• Mandates the Jury Administrator ensure jury lists represent a fair cross section of the community with no systemic exclusion of any group, and allows supplementation of jury pools proportionally by town population when needed.

• Requires parties in civil and criminal trials to be afforded opportunity to make on-the-record statements addressing whether the impaneled jury represents a fair cross section of the community before trial commences.

• Authorizes judges to make findings on the record regarding whether impaneled juries represent fair cross sections of the community, with authority to return cases to the Jury Administrator for further proceedings if diversity standards are not met.

• Preserves parties' existing rights to examine jurors outside the presence of other prospective jurors regarding qualifications, conflicts of interest, and relationships with parties.