Bill
S 1028
The bill raises juror pay in Massachusetts, doubling many per diem amounts and increasing a cap, plus requires annual reporting of compensation expenditures.
Note on sources
- The materials provided appear to combine two different bills labeled S 1028 (an Idaho bill expanding district judges and a Massachusetts bill increasing juror pay). This summary focuses on the Massachusetts text titled "An Act improving juror compensation" (Docket No. 1922), as requested. Where procedural or sponsor data conflicted in the packet, it is noted below.
Purpose and intent
- Raise monetary compensation paid to jurors (both trial and grand jurors in many instances) and increase related statutory caps; improve transparency by requiring annual reporting of juror compensation expenditures. The intent is to make juror service more fairly compensated and to document expenditures for legislative oversight.
Key provisions (what the bill changes)
- Increases per diem/allowance references throughout chapter 234A:
- Sections 49 and 50: replaces the word “fifty” with “one hundred” — i.e., increases a $50 amount to $100.
- Section 51: expands coverage to include grand jurors (adds the phrase “or grand” after “trial”) and replaces “fifty” with “one hundred” (twice in the drafted text).
- Section 55: replaces two references to “fifty” with “one hundred.”
- Sections 52–54: the bill strikes out these sections in their entirety.
- Section 59: replaces “three hundred and fifty” with “seven hundred” — raising a statutory dollar limit/amount referenced in that section.
- Reporting requirement: adds language requiring the Trial Court to submit annual reports to the Legislature on the amount of funds expended for juror compensation and reimbursement, including funds disbursed under G. L. c. 234A, § 56.
Who is affected
- Jurors in Massachusetts (trial and grand jurors) — they would receive higher daily or otherwise-stated payments where statutes previously set amounts at $50 or $350.
- Trial Court administration — will implement higher payments and prepare annual expenditure reports.
- State budget/appropriations — higher juror compensation will increase payroll/outlays for the Trial Court; the bill text does not include a specific fiscal estimate.
Procedural / timeline notes and status
- Docket/filing: Senate Docket No. 1922, filed Jan 17, 2025; presented by Sen. Michael J. Barrett (Third Middlesex).
- Committee referral: noted as to the Judiciary (bill text cites “The Judiciary”); procedural steps beyond filing vary in the provided materials and appear conflated with other state activity.
- No effective date is specified in the provided Massachusetts text. No fiscal note was included in the MA text provided; the packet contains a separate Idaho fiscal note unrelated to the juror-compensation text.
Practical impact and considerations
- The bill would meaningfully increase per-juror payments (doubling amounts where $50 → $100) and raises a cap from $350 → $700 in at least one statutory provision — cumulatively increasing annual state expenditures for juror pay.
- Administrative burden: courts must update payment processes and produce annual reports detailing juror compensation expenditures.
- Fiscal impact should be quantified by the state’s budget office or Trial Court (absent a fiscal note in the provided MA text).
Recommendation
- Consult the official Massachusetts legislative website (Docket No. 1922 / S.1028) for current status, the final enrolled text, and any fiscal estimates or amendments to confirm amounts, sections removed, effective dates, and appropriation language.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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