BILL NUMBER: S6090
SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the judiciary law, in relation to optional excusal from
jury service for persons age 70 and over
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Allows persons to opt out of state jury service based solely on age
without the burden of traveling to the courthouse to make the applica-
tion similar to the federal court system.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 Amends subdivision (a) of section 517 judiciary law by adding
a new paragraph 3.
Section 2. Amends subdivision (c) of section 517 judiciary law.
Section 3. Effective date.
 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
Non-applicable.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The federal court system allows individuals to opt out of serving as a
juror at age 70 without a showing of undue hardship or extreme inconven-
ience by the applicant. Other states such as Florida, New Jersey and
South Carolina allow individuals to be excused from jury service solely
based upon age. Many seniors who are not disabled may still have diffi-
culty traveling to courthouses in order to make the application for
excusal. This legislation would make the process easier for senior citi-
zens to "retire" from jury service. At the same time, senior citizens
who are willing and able to serve would not be barred whatsoever.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S7903 - Referred to Judiciary
2021-22: S.7589 - Referred to Judiciary/A.1371 (Seawright) - Referred to
Judiciary
2017-18: S.2977 (LaValle)/A.2347 (Seawright) Referred Senate/Assembly
Judiciary Committees
2015-16: S.7331 ((LaValle)/A.9292 (Seawright) Referred to
Senate/Assembly Judiciary Committees
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of September next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S6090: 517 judiciary law