PRINTER'S NO. 1467
No. 1055 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY PIPPY, BOSCOLA, COSTA, SCHWARTZ, M. WHITE AND LEMMOND, MARCH 24, 2004
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, MARCH 24, 2004
AN ACT 1 Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the 2 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for 3 qualifications of jurors. 4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 hereby enacts as follows: 6 Section 1. Section 4502 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania 7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read: 8 § 4502. Qualifications of jurors. 9 (a) General rule.--Every citizen of this Commonwealth who is 10 of the required minimum age for voting for State or local 11 officials and who resides in the county shall be qualified to 12 serve as a juror therein unless such citizen: 13 (1) is unable to read, write, speak and understand the 14 English language; 15 (2) is incapable, by reason of mental or physical 16 infirmity, to render efficient jury service; or 17 (3) has been convicted of a crime punishable by 18 imprisonment for more than one year and has not been granted
1 a pardon or amnesty therefor. 2 (a.1) Removal of grounds for disqualification.--A person who 3 has been disqualified under subsection (a)(3) may make 4 application to the court of common pleas of the county where the 5 principal residence of the applicant is situated for removal of 6 the grounds for disqualification. The court shall grant such 7 relief if it determines that all of the following apply: 8 (1) The conviction was for a nonviolent misdemeanor 9 offense. 10 (2) The applicant has no other misdemeanor or felony 11 convictions under the laws of this Commonwealth or similar 12 convictions under Federal law or the laws of any other state. 13 (3) A period of ten years, not including any time spent 14 in incarceration, has elapsed since the applicant's 15 conviction for the nonviolent misdemeanor offense. 16 (4) No other good reason exists to deny the removal of 17 the grounds for disqualification. 18 [(b) Definition.--For purposes of this section, "convicted 19 of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year" 20 does] (b) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following 21 words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this 22 subsection: 23 "Convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more 24 than one year." Does not include a conviction for any offense 25 under or violation of the former act of May 1, 1929 (P.L.905, 26 No.403), known as The Vehicle Code, or the former act of April 27 29, 1959 (P.L.58, No.32), known as The Vehicle Code, which 28 offense or violation, if it had been committed after July 1, 29 1977: 30 (1) would have been substantially similar to an offense 20040S1055B1467 - 2 -
1 currently graded as a summary offense under 75 Pa.C.S. 2 (relating to vehicles); or 3 (2) would not have been a violation of law. 4 "Nonviolent misdemeanor offense." Includes, but is not 5 limited to, any offense graded as a misdemeanor that does not: 6 (1) involve an attempt to put another in fear of bodily 7 injury; 8 (2) result in bodily injury; or 9 (3) involve the use of a firearm or other prohibited 10 offensive weapon. 11 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. B20L42AJM/20040S1055B1467 - 3 -