The bill aims to amend West Virginia's jury service laws by introducing the "Third Amendment Reaffirmation and Protection Act," which specifically addresses the jury service eligibility of active duty service members. It stipulates that prospective jurors who are members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty outside of West Virginia, and who have relinquished their primary residence due to their service while still maintaining West Virginia residency, are not disqualified from serving on a jury. However, they may request to be excused from service by the court.

Additionally, the bill makes several modifications to the disqualification criteria for jurors. It clarifies that a prospective grand juror is disqualified if they are an officeholder under U.S. or state laws, with the exception of notaries public. The bill also emphasizes that individuals with physical disabilities can serve on juries with reasonable accommodations and cannot be dismissed solely based on their disability. The amendments include new provisions for accommodating disabled jurors and ensure that the rights to preemptory strikes in civil or criminal actions remain intact.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 52-1-8