Juries: peremptory challenges.

Senator Umberg's jury selection reform modifies California's rules for excluding potential jurors in cases involving law enforcement officers. The legislation creates an exception to current law that presumes certain peremptory challenges are invalid, specifically when prospective jurors express distrust of law enforcement, believe racial profiling occurs, or have close relationships with people who have been arrested.

The bill maintains existing protections against using peremptory challenges to remove jurors based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or religious affiliation. Courts must still evaluate challenges based on the totality of circumstances and consider whether an objectively reasonable person would view these characteristics as factors in the juror's exclusion. The legislation preserves the requirement that parties state their reasons for peremptory challenges when objections are raised.

Under the amended rules, courts retain authority to remedy improper exclusions through various means, including starting jury selection anew, declaring a mistrial, seating the challenged juror, or providing additional challenges to the objecting party. The changes apply only to criminal cases and include provisions for appellate review of denied objections.

The modifications take effect immediately upon enactment and remain in place until January 1, 2026, when they will be repealed unless extended by future legislation. A companion section activates on that date to ensure continuity of the amended provisions.