HB 1063 Summary

• Creates the Oklahoma District Court Improvement Act and establishes a Lengthy Trial Fund to provide wage replacement or supplementation to jurors serving more than ten (10) days on petit juries, with payments of up to $200 per day beginning on day eleven and up to $50 per day for days four through ten upon finding of financial hardship.

• Modifies the Lengthy Trial Fund fee collection to require any person filing a civil case to pay $10 per case, replacing the previous requirement limited to attorneys only, with exemptions for government attorneys, small claims cases, social security disability claims, veterans' benefits, child custody/support cases, and in forma pauperis filings.

• Expands jury pool sources by requiring the Oklahoma Tax Commission to provide lists of individuals who filed personal state income tax returns for jury selection purposes, in addition to existing driver license holder lists from the Commissioner of Public Safety.

• Modifies the oath for prospective jurors to replace the term "mentally retarded" with "cognitive disability" and increases the mandatory exemption age for jury service from seventy (70) to seventy-two (72) years old.

• Amends the Oklahoma Tax Commission confidentiality statute to add a new exception allowing disclosure of information to the Administrative Director of the Courts for jury selection purposes in compliance with Section 18 of Title 38 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

• Becomes effective July 1, 2009, with an emergency clause allowing immediate effect upon passage and approval.