House Bill No. 500, introduced by Representative Green, aims to amend the compensation rates for jurors serving in both criminal and civil trials in Louisiana. The bill proposes to increase the daily compensation for jurors in criminal cases to $25 for each day during voir dire, starting from the second day, and $58 for each day of attendance in court once the jury is impaneled. For civil cases, the compensation will be raised to $80 for each day of attendance in court, also beginning from the second day. Additionally, the mileage allowance for jurors will remain consistent with the rate in effect for state officials.

The bill modifies existing law by deleting the previous compensation rates of $25 for each day in criminal cases and $50 for civil cases, replacing them with the new proposed rates. This change reflects an effort to enhance juror compensation and encourage civic participation in the judicial process. The amendments were adopted by the House Committee on Judiciary, emphasizing the importance of fair compensation for jurors in fulfilling their civic duties.

Statutes affected:
HB500 Original: 13:3049(B)(1)
HB500 Engrossed: 13:3049(B)(1)