PRINTER'S NO. 988
No. 908 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY O'PAKE, BODACK, KUKOVICH, STAPLETON, KITCHEN,
STOUT, WHITE, TARTAGLIONE, RHOADES, BELAN AND GERLACH,
APRIL 15, 1997
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, APRIL 15, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
2 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for
3 compensation of jurors and reimbursement to counties.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 4561 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
8 § 4561. Compensation of and travel allowance for jurors.
9 (a) Compensation.--[A person summoned to serve as a juror]
10 Jurors shall [receive compensation] be compensated at the rate
11 of [$9] $40 a day [for the first three days in any calendar year
12 he shall be required to report for service and $25 a day for
13 each day thereafter in such calendar year that such person is
14 required to report]. In addition, [persons so summoned] jurors
15 shall be paid a mileage travel allowance at the most current
16 rate [of 17¢ per mile circular except that no travel] set by the
17 Internal Revenue Service for compensable mileage for the
18 distance traveled by the shortest practical route in going to
1 and returning from service. No mileage allowance shall be paid
2 in the first judicial district. Toll charges for toll roads,
3 bridges and tunnels, taxicab fares between places of lodging and
4 carrier terminals, and parking fees, upon presentation of a
5 valid receipt, shall be paid in full to a witness incurring such
6 expenses.
7 (b) State reimbursement.--The Commonwealth shall reimburse
8 each county 80% of the amount expended by the county for [such]
9 compensation and travel allowance beyond the first [three] two
10 days [of service if] the juror [is participating] serves in a
11 trial or [in] grand jury proceedings. Application for
12 reimbursement shall be made by the county to the State Treasurer
13 through the Administrative Office pursuant to procedures
14 prescribed by said office. [As used in this section] In
15 calculating the amount of State reimbursement, trial
16 participation shall include voir dire examination only [if such
17 examination shall have commenced prior to] when it began before
18 the juror's [fourth] third day of service.
19 (c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "jurors"
20 includes every person summoned to jury service from the day he
21 reports to court through the day he is discharged.
22 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
A27L42JLW/19970S0908B0988 - 2 -