CA State Assembly Votes to Remove Citizenship Requirement for Jurors
The California State Assembly has passed a bill that would remove the citizenship requirement for jurors, allowing "lawfully present immigrants" to serve on juries. The bill, AB 1401, is now heading to the California State Senate. According to the Associated Press, if the bill is signed into law California will become the first state to allow non-citizens to be jurors.
From US News:
The California State Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to remove the requirement in state law that jurors be U.S. citizens.
The bill, AB 1401, passed the state assembly with 45 votes in favor and 25 votes in opposition and now goes to the state senate.
The legislation allows the jury pool to be extended to "lawfully present immigrants." Potential jurors are pulled from state Department of Motor Vehicles records. The bill does not drop the requirement that would-be jurors speak English.
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