May 19, 2005, Introduced by Senators KUIPERS, TOY, SCHAUER, CROPSEY, GILBERT and HARDIMAN and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled
"Revised judicature act of 1961,"
by amending sections 1313 and 1314 (MCL 600.1313 and 600.1314),
section 1313 as amended by 2004 PA 12.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1313. (1) The board shall supply a juror qualifications
questionnaire to persons on the first jury list. This questionnaire
shall contain blanks for the information the board desires,
concerning qualifications for, and exemptions from, jury service.
Persons on the first jury list are required to return the
questionnaire fully answered to the jury board within 10 days after
it is received.
(2) In any county, the jury questionnaire described in this
section and the written summons notice described in section 1332
may be provided together in the same mailing.
(3) In addition to any other information requested by the
board under subsection (1), the questionnaire shall ask whether the
person is a nursing mother and shall inform the person that if she
is a nursing mother, she may be excused from jury service for the
period during which she is nursing her child if she provides a
letter from a physician or a certified nurse midwife verifying that
fact. As used in this subsection:
(a) "Physician" means an individual licensed by the state to
engage in the practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine and
surgery under article 15 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368,
MCL 333.16101 to 333.18838.
(b) "Certified nurse midwife" means an individual licensed as
a registered professional nurse under article 15 of the public
health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.16101 to 333.18838, who has been
issued a specialty certification in the practice of nurse midwifery
by the board of nursing under section 17210 of the public health
code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17210.
(4) (3)
If a qualifying questionnaire is
returned with an
indication by the United States postal service that the person to
whom the questionnaire is addressed is deceased, the name of the
person shall be removed from the first juror list and that name and
circumstance may be forwarded to the local clerk.
Sec. 1314. On the basis of answers to the juror qualifications
questionnaires the board may excuse from service persons on the
first jury list who claim exemption and give satisfactory proof of
such right, and all persons who are not qualified for jury service.
The board shall excuse from service a nursing mother who complies
with the requirements of section 1313(3). The board may investigate
the accuracy of the answers to the questionnaires and may call upon
all law enforcement agencies for assistance in the investigation.