Substitute House Bill No. 6968 proposes significant amendments to the laws governing juror compensation and reimbursement for expenses incurred during jury service. The bill mandates that full-time employed jurors receive their regular wages from their employers for the first five days of service. For part-time employed or unemployed jurors, the bill introduces a flat fee equal to the minimum fair wage for an eight-hour workday for the same period. Additionally, it allows for reimbursement of necessary out-of-pocket expenses, including family care and travel, capped at the minimum fair wage for an eight-hour day. After the initial five days, jurors not compensated by their employers will receive a daily payment equal to the current minimum wage, along with reimbursements for family care and travel expenses.

The bill also repeals previous compensation rates, replacing them with updated provisions that reflect current wage standards. Notably, it raises the maximum daily reimbursement for necessary expenses from $50 to the minimum wage for an eight-hour day and increases the travel reimbursement rate from 20 cents per mile to 70 cents per mile, aligning with federal guidelines. Starting on the sixth day of service, jurors will only receive reimbursement for family care and travel expenses, along with the daily flat fee for juror pay. The effective date for these changes is set for October 1, 2025, with anticipated fiscal impacts ranging from $1.93 million to $3.76 million in FY 26 and $2.58 million to $5.01 million in FY 27.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 51-247
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute: 51-247
File No. 729: 51-247