ORS 10.125: Security for jury sequestered or kept overnight.

When a jury is kept overnight or otherwise sequestered and the sheriff is ordered to provide security for the jury by a judge or clerk of court of the court to which the jurors were summoned, the sheriff shall provide that security. The cost of providing the security shall be paid by the county. [1985 c.703 §10] Sec. 1. Task Force on Removing Barriers to Jury Service. (1) The Task Force on Removing Barriers to Jury Service is established. (2) The task force consists of 15 members appointed as follows: (a) The President of the Senate shall appoint two members from among members of the Senate. (b) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members from among members of the House of Representatives. (c) The Governor shall appoint five representatives as follows: (A) One member representing district attorneys; (B) One member representing attorneys who provide legal defense in criminal proceedings; (C) One representative of an association representing businesses; (D) One member of the Racial Justice Council established in ORS 176.350; and (E) One representative of the Association of Oregon Counties. (d) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall appoint five members as follows: (A) Two judges with experience presiding over criminal or civil jury trials; (B) One attorney with experience with civil jury trials or a representative from an organization representing civil litigation attorneys; (C) One justice of the peace or municipal court judge with experience presiding over criminal or civil jury trials; and (D) One representative of the Oregon State Bar. (e) The Chief Justice, or the Chief Justice’s designee, shall be chairperson of the task force and shall act as a nonvoting member of the task force. (3) In evaluating members for appointment, the appointing authority shall consider the need for diverse task force membership in the areas of gender, race and ethnicity, geography, age, disability and lived experience as a juror or participant in jury trials. (4) The task force shall: (a) Examine this state’s current structure of jury compensation and resulting participation levels and how this state’s structure and participation levels compare to the structure and participation levels in other states; (b) Propose recommendations to modify this state’s structure of jury compensation to improve jury participation levels; (c) Recommend public outreach and education strategies that will inform the public regarding jury compensation and participation; and (d) Examine and propose recommendations to address additional barriers to jury service. (5) A majority of the voting members of the task force constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. (6) Official action by the task force requires the approval of a majority of the voting members of the task force. (7) If there is a vacancy for any cause, the appointing authority shall make an appointment to become immediately effective. (8) The task force shall meet at times and places specified by the call of the chairperson or of a majority of the voting members of the task force. (9) The task force may adopt rules necessary for the operation of the task force. (10) The task force shall submit a report in the manner provided by ORS 192.245, and may include recommendations for legislation, to the Chief Justice, the Governor and the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to the judiciary no later than December 15, 2026. The final report may include any minority and dissenting views, opinions or recommendations either as part of the report or attached as a separate report. (11) The Judicial Department shall provide staff support to the task force. (12) The task force may consult with local or national experts on issues relating to jury improvement. (13) Members of the Legislative Assembly appointed to the task force are nonvoting members of the task force and may act in an advisory capacity only. (14) Members of the task force who are not members of the Legislative Assembly are not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for expenses and serve as volunteers on the task force. (15) All agencies of state government, as defined in ORS 174.111, are directed to assist the task force in the performance of the duties of the task force and, to the extent permitted by laws relating to confidentiality, to furnish information and advice the members of the task force consider necessary to perform their duties. [2025 c.145 §1] Sec. 2. Section 1 of this 2025 Act is repealed on December 31, 2026. [2025 c.145 §2]