HB1511eng 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1511 Engrossed LRB097 08971 AJO 49104 b

AN ACT concerning courts.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Jury Commission Act is amended by changing Section 1 as follows:

(705 ILCS 310/1) (from Ch. 78, par. 24)

Sec. 1. (a) In every county of this State now containing, or which may hereafter contain more than 75,000 inhabitants, and in any other county with a population less than 3,000,000 in which the county board by resolution determines that jury commissioners shall be appointed, the circuit judges in the circuit of which the county is a part, or a majority of them, shall choose 3 competent and discreet electors, who shall not be so chosen on account of party affiliations, who shall be known as jury commissioners. Such commissioners shall, in counties now containing the required number of inhabitants, be chosen on the first Monday of July, 1897, and in counties hereafter containing the required number of inhabitants such commissioners shall be chosen on the first Monday of July, after it shall have been determined by the last preceding national census that the inhabitants of such county are of the number required or after the county board by resolution determines that jury commissioners shall be appointed, as the case may be. Of the first 3 so chosen, one shall hold his office for one year, one for 2 years and one for 3 years, to be determined by lot, and every year thereafter one such officer shall be chosen for the term of 3 years. Each of such commissioners, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take and subscribe to an oath of office before one of such judges, and shall execute a bond to the People of the State of Illinois in such sums and with such sureties as shall be required by such judge and be, by him, approved, conditioned for the faithful discharge of his duties as such commissioner during his term of office. The majority of the Circuit judges herein referred to may remove either of such commissioners, assigning reasons therefor, and fill all vacancies occurring in the office of any such commissioners by death, resignation or removal.

In a county with a population of at least 200,000 but less than 300,000, the circuit judges in the circuit of which the county is a part, or a majority of them, may choose to appoint 4, rather than 3, jury commissioners.

(b) In counties with a population of at least 3,000,000, the chief judge of the circuit of that county may discontinue the appointment of jury commissioners for that county. If the chief judge of a circuit in a county with a population of at least 3,000,000 discontinues the appointments of the jury commissioners, the functions of the jury commissioners may be performed by a jury administrator. The jury commissioners in office at the time of the discontinuance shall complete their terms of office and shall discharge their duties and responsibilities as assigned by the chief judge of that circuit.

(Source: P.A. 90-481, eff. 1-1-98.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.