An Act to amend and reenact §§ 8.01-337 and 8.01-341.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to jurors; exemptions from jury service upon request; competency to perform jury duty.
HB671 amends Virginia’s jury service laws in two main ways. First, it clarifies that a person is not incompetent to serve on a jury because of blindness or partial blindness if the person would otherwise be competent and is provided reasonable accommodation. Second, it adds a new exemption from jury service for any person under a disability that substantially impairs the person’s ability to perform jury duty.
The bill also updates and restates the list of people who may request exemption from jury service, including caregivers for young children or persons with impairments, people over age 73, certain essential business or agricultural workers, legislative staff during session periods, election officials during election-related windows, and certain military or diplomatic personnel serving outside the United States. The measure is codified by amending §§ 8.01-337 and 8.01-341.1 of the Code of Virginia, affecting the rules courts and clerks use to determine who is eligible, excused, or exempt from jury duty.
HB671 changes Virginia law governing juror qualifications and exemptions by expressly recognizing reasonable accommodation for blind or partially blind prospective jurors and by creating a broader disability-based exemption for those substantially impaired in performing jury duty. It also preserves and reorganizes existing request-based exemptions for caregivers, older adults, essential workers, election personnel, legislative employees, and certain service members and diplomats, thereby affecting how circuit courts and jury administrators screen and excuse potential jurors.
The available record shows no committee transcript, recorded vote, or opposition statements, and the bill was enacted as Chapter 198. Based on the final passage, the overall sentiment appears favorable and noncontroversial, with the legislation presented as a modernization and accessibility measure for jury service rather than a major policy dispute.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. The only potentially sensitive issues inherent in the bill are the balance between expanding access to jury service for people with disabilities through reasonable accommodation and preserving exemptions for persons whose disabilities substantially impair jury duty, as well as maintaining numerous categorical exemptions for caregivers, essential workers, and election-related personnel. However, no opposing arguments or competing stakeholder positions are recorded here.