EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Juries Act and makes related amendments to two other Acts.

Currently, clause 4 (b) of the Act provides that a person is ineligible to serve as a juror if they have been convicted of an offence that may be prosecuted by indictment and have not received a pardon. The Bill repeals this clause and instead provides that persons are ineligible to serve as jurors if they are legally confined in a correctional institution.

Section 18.2 of the Act is repealed because it provides for criminal record checks to assess whether a juror is ineligible for inclusion on a jury panel. These checks will no longer be needed.

Related amendments are made to the Juries Act and to two other Acts.

Bill 52 2018

An Act to amend the Juries Act with respect to juror eligibility and to make related amendments to other Acts

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1 Clause 4 (b) of the Juries Act is repealed and the following substituted:

  (b)  is legally confined in a correctional institution.

2 Section 18.2 of the Act is repealed.

3 Clauses 37 (b.1) and (b.2) of the Act are repealed.

Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015

4 Paragraph 4 of subsection 2 (2) of the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 is repealed.

Safer Ontario Act, 2018

5 Section 29 of Schedule 5 to the Safer Ontario Act, 2018 is repealed.

Commencement

6 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

7 The short title of this Act is the Juries Statute Law Amendment Act (Juror Eligibility), 2018.