JURY DUTY: Provides relative to jury duty mileage reimbursement (EN INCREASE LF EX See Note)
Summary
HB 233 amends Louisiana law governing compensation for jurors and jury commissioners. The bill keeps the daily attendance payment for jurors at $25, but changes the mileage reimbursement language so jurors are entitled to an amount equal to the mileage rate in effect for state officials for each mile necessarily traveled to and from the courthouse. It also updates the compensation provision for jury commissioners, who receive $75 per day during actual attendance at meetings, and ties their mileage reimbursement to the state-official mileage rate as well.
The measure is a targeted adjustment to R.S. 13:3049 and 3053, affecting the statutes that govern jury service compensation in criminal trials and the pay structure for jury commissioners. By linking mileage reimbursement to the state-official rate, the bill replaces fixed minimum/maximum mileage language with a dynamic standard that will change as the state rate changes. The practical effect is to standardize travel reimbursement for jurors and commissioners and potentially increase or decrease payments over time depending on the state mileage rate.
The overall sentiment around the bill appears strongly positive and noncontroversial. The House passed HB 233 unanimously, 93-0, and the bill was ultimately signed by the Governor as Act 536. There is no committee transcript indicating opposition or debate, suggesting broad agreement on the need to update reimbursement rules.
No notable points of contention are reflected in the available record. The bill appears to have been treated as a routine compensation and reimbursement update rather than a substantive policy change, with the main issue being the mechanics of mileage reimbursement rather than the underlying obligation to serve on juries or the role of jury commissioners.
Impact
HB 233 amends Louisiana Revised Statutes 13:3049(B)(1)(b) and 13:3053 by revising the mileage reimbursement provisions for jurors and jury commissioners. It preserves the existing daily compensation amounts while aligning mileage payments with the rate in effect for state officials, thereby affecting how courts calculate travel reimbursement for jury service and jury commission meetings. The change impacts jurors, jury commissioners, and court administrators responsible for processing these payments.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have enjoyed broad support and little to no opposition. It passed the House unanimously, 93-0, and was signed into law as Act 536. The absence of committee discussion in the record suggests the measure was viewed as a straightforward administrative update rather than a controversial policy proposal.
Contention
There is no documented contention in the available materials. The only substantive policy choice reflected in the bill is whether mileage reimbursement should be fixed within a statutory range or tied to the state-official mileage rate; the enacted version adopts the latter approach. Because the bill does not alter juror eligibility, trial procedure, or daily compensation amounts, it does not appear to have raised broader disputes among legislators or stakeholders.
Provides for recoverable medical expenses, limitation upon jury trials and admissibility of evidence in civil actions. (8/1/25) (OR INCREASE LF EX See Note)