SB 260 — An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in juries and jurors, further providing for exemptions from jury duty.

PRINTER'S NO.   208

                        THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                             SENATE BILL
                             No. 260
                                                     Session of
                                                       2025

     INTRODUCED BY PHILLIPS-HILL, FONTANA, LAUGHLIN, J. WARD, BROWN,
        SCHWANK, COSTA, BAKER AND STEFANO, FEBRUARY 20, 2025

     REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025


                                         AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
 2      Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in juries and jurors,
 3      further providing for exemptions from jury duty.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.         Section 4503(a) of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
 7   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph and the
 8   section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
 9   § 4503.    Exemptions from jury duty.
10      (a)    General rule.--No person shall be exempt or excused from
11   jury duty except the following:
12             * * *
13             (9)     Caregivers who:
14                   (i)    request to be excused;
15                   (ii)    are not employed outside their home; and
16                   (iii)    reside in a household with primary
17             responsibility for the active care of a child under seven
18             years of age or of an individual with a permanent
 1        physical or intellectual disability, if the individual
 2        cannot care for the individual during the hours when the
 3        court is normally in session, and the caregivers:
 4                  (A)   do not have alternative care that is
 5              available to them; or
 6                  (B)   are unable to afford alternative care.
 7    (a.1)    Caregivers.--
 8        (1)    A court may require a notarized affidavit from the
 9    caregivers under subsection (a)(9) attesting to the
10    satisfaction of the conditions specified under subsection (a)
11    (9)(ii) and (iii).
12        (2)    Caregivers under subsection (a)(9) may be excused
13    permanently or for a period as the court determines is
14    necessary. If excused for a limited period, the caregivers
15    shall, at the end of the period, be assigned to the next jury
16    array.
17    * * *
18    Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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