HB348: relative to the compensation of jurors.

HB 348-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2003 SESSION

03-0447

09/01

HOUSE BILL HB 348-FN

AN ACT relative to the compensation of jurors.

SPONSORS: Rep. Arnold, Hills 46

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

ANALYSIS

This bill increases the compensation for jurors.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03-0447

09/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT relative to the compensation of jurors.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Compensation of Jurors. Amend RSA 500-A:15, I to read as follows:

I. Grand and petit jurors' fees and mileage shall be paid by the state. The jurors' fees shall be no less than $10 and no more than $40 for each half day's attendance before a superior court and shall be determined as provided in paragraph I-a; for each mile's travel to and from the place where the juror serves, mileage shall be paid at the rate of $.20 per mile, mileage to be allowed for each day's attendance when the juror is required to leave the town or city in which he resides.

2 New Paragraph; Determination of Juror Compensation. Amend RSA 500-A:15 by inserting after paragraph I the following new paragraph:

I-a. For each ½ day's attendance before a superior court, a juror shall be paid 60 percent of his or her prior year's income divided by 500, provided that the juror submit a copy of his or her prior year's federal income tax return form to the clerk along with the juror qualification form and provided that no juror shall be paid less than $10 nor more than $40 for each ½ day's attendance. Any juror not submitting a copy of his or her prior year's federal income tax return form shall be paid $10 for each ½ day's attendance.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2004.

LBAO

03-0447

1/16/03

HB 348-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT relative to the compensation of jurors.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Judicial Branch stated this bill will increase state expenditures by $556,403 in FY 2004, $1,112,805 in FY 2005 and in each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on state revenue or on county or local revenue and expenditures.

METHODOLOGY:

The Judicial Branch stated 67,117 one-half day juror fees of $10 were paid in FY 2002 for a total of $671,170. In determining the fiscal impact of the this bill, the Judicial Branch made the following assumptions:

· The number of one-half day juror fees will continue to be 67,117 per year.

· One third of the jurors will choose not to provide copies of their tax returns and will receive a half-day fee of $10 for a total of $223,730.

· One third of the jurors will provide copies of their tax returns, will have earned $33,333 or more in the previous year, and will receive a fee of $40 for a total of $894,920.

· The remaining third will provide the tax information, have annual incomes averaging $20,833, and receive a $25 fee for a total of $559,325.

· The court system will need four new full-time Court Assistant II positions to receive the tax returns and compute the fees. Each of the four larger courts will require a ½ time Court Assistant II and 6 smaller courts will require a ¼ time Court Assistant II. Salary and Benefits for the Court Assistant II, LG7 will be $26,500 including benefits at 37%.

· With an effective date of January 1, 2004, only one half of the annual increase will be realized in FY 2004.

The Judicial Branch estimated the additional expenditures as follows:

Proposed juror fees: $1,677,975 ($223,730 + $894,920 + $559,325)

Existing Fees: 671,170

Annual Increase $1,006,000

4 Court Assistant II

LBAO

03-0447

1/16/03

Page 2

($26,500 x 4) 106,000

Total $1,112,805