SAN DIEGO—Assemblyman Chris Ward (D-San Diego) has introduced legislation aimed at improving the diversity of California grand jury panels, it was announced Feb. 15. While jury commissioners are currently required to consider the geographic makeup of a jury pool, Ward’s office says Assembly Bill 1972 would amend the statutory requirements to include gender, age, race, and ethnicity during the grand jury selection process. According to a statement from Ward’s office, amending the requirements would help juries be more representative of the demographics of a particular area. AB 1972 would also adjust the per diem compensation grand jurors receive in order to attract a larger, more diverse pool of candidates, according to Ward’s office. “Currently, the role of a grand juror is largely voluntary with very little compensation being given daily for their civic service,” Ward said. “This leads to disproportionate representation within courtrooms. AB 1972 will help increase transparency around …