Committee advances bill restricting jury service for violent and registry offenses; advocates urge restoration policies
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Summary
HB 108 would bar people convicted of violent crimes or offenses that require registration from serving on juries, reversing a recent expansion that allowed some felons to serve after a waiting period; prosecutors argued for impartiality in grand and petit juries, while reentry and civil‑liberties advocates warned the change creates second‑class citizenship and undermines reintegration.
Representative Cox presented HB 108 to limit jury service to persons who have not been convicted of violent crimes or offenses requiring registration. Prosecutor testimony argued some categories of prior offenders are not appropriate for grand‑jury service and that the distinction preserves impartiality in serious cases.
Opponents including Megan Garvey (LACDL), Sarah Whittington (ACLU), Will Snowden (Juror Project) and formerly incarcerated jurors who testified described the civic‑reintegration benefits of jury service and warned that lifetime exclusion for certain categories would stigmatize returning citizens and could impede reentry and lower civic participation.
Supporters said the measure is a more conservative approach than other jurisdictions and that the bill leaves intact a five‑year restoration path for lesser, nonviolent offenses. The committee recorded a roll‑call (yeas 8, nays 3) and reported the bill favorably, while several members expressed concerns about reconciling rights restoration with jury qualifications.
Debate indicated the issue may return for floor amendments and further legal review on how jury‑service restoration aligns with other restored civil rights.
