Increases fees paid to jurors to fifty dollars ($50.00) per day.
Summary
S0303 amends Rhode Island’s juror fee statute to increase the daily payment for both grand and petit jurors in Superior Court from $25 to $50, beginning July 1, 2025. The bill also keeps in place the existing option for jurors to donate their fee back to the state by signing an approved form.
The measure is a straightforward compensation update within the state’s courts and civil procedure fee provisions. It does not change who must serve as a juror or how juries are selected; instead, it changes the amount paid for jury service and preserves the mechanism for donated fees to be directed to the general fund and then allocated to the Rhode Island Veterans Home Community Living Center.
Impact
The bill amends Rhode Island General Laws § 9-29-5, increasing juror compensation and thereby requiring a larger annual appropriation to fund jury payments. It affects grand and petit jurors serving in Superior Court and may modestly increase state court operating costs. The donation provision remains unchanged, allowing jurors to waive payment and direct those funds to the state for the Veterans Home Community Living Center.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported, passing the Senate unanimously by a vote of 36-0. The absence of recorded committee controversy or dissent in the available materials suggests general agreement that juror pay should be increased to better reflect the value of jury service.
Contention
No significant opposition is reflected in the available record. The only policy choice evident in the bill is the level of the increase—from $25 to $50 per day—and the continued use of appropriated state funds to cover the higher cost. Any potential concern would likely center on the fiscal impact to the state budget, but no specific objections or competing viewpoints are documented in the provided materials.