HB2094 increases compensation for jurors and prospective jurors in Hawaii. The bill raises the daily attendance payment under section 612-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, from $30 to $50 per day for each day of actual attendance at court. It also preserves the existing travel reimbursement structure, allowing payment of either 33 cents per mile traveled to and from court or the cost of an adult bus fare, whichever is higher, and clarifies that a person who appears as summoned may still receive travel reimbursement even if later excused or exempted at their own request.
The bill also includes a general fund appropriation of $684,385 for fiscal year 2026-2027 to be expended by the judiciary to implement the increase. The act takes effect on July 1, 2026, and was enacted as Act 126 on June 24, 2026. In practical terms, it changes state law governing juror pay and requires additional state spending to cover the higher compensation rate.
Impact
HB2094 amends Hawaii’s juror compensation statute, section 612-8, by increasing the daily fee for jurors and prospective jurors and maintaining mileage or bus-fare reimbursement at the higher of the two specified amounts. The measure directly affects the judiciary’s operating costs and creates a new general fund appropriation to pay for the increase. It does not alter jury eligibility or selection rules, but it does change the financial terms of civic service for people summoned for jury duty.
Sentiment
The available voting record suggests broad, bipartisan support for the bill. It passed the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Ways and Means Committee, and both conference committees unanimously or near-unanimously, with no recorded opposition in the provided votes. The absence of committee transcript material limits insight into detailed debate, but the legislative history indicates the measure was generally viewed favorably as part of the judiciary package.
Contention
No major controversy is evident in the provided materials. The main policy issue is fiscal: the bill requires a state appropriation to fund the higher juror stipend, so any concern would likely center on the cost to the general fund and the judiciary’s budget. A secondary point is whether the increase is sufficient to offset the burden on jurors, especially those traveling by car or bus, but the unanimous votes suggest little disagreement over the need to raise compensation.