AN ACT

 

1Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
2Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in juries and jurors,
3further providing for compensation of and travel allowance
4for jurors.

5The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6hereby enacts as follows:

7Section 1. Section 4561 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
8Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:

9§ 4561. Compensation of and travel allowance for jurors.

10(a) Compensation.--[A person summoned to serve as a juror
11shall receive compensation at the rate of $9 a day for the first
12three days in any calendar year he shall be required to report
13for service and $25 a day for each day thereafter in such
14calendar year that such person is required to report. In
15addition, persons so summoned shall be paid a travel allowance
16at the rate of 17¢ per mile circular except that no travel
17allowance shall be paid in the first judicial district.]
18Employers shall pay a person summoned to serve as a juror at the 

1person's ordinary wage or salary each day the person is required 
2to report for service. The Commonwealth shall grant a tax credit 
3to the employer for the amount expended in the same calendar 
4year.

5(a.1) Unemployed persons.--Unemployed persons shall be
6compensated using the appropriate rate of unemployment
7compensation.

8(a.2) Self-employed persons.--The Commonwealth shall grant a
9self-employed person or a person whose sole means of income is
10commission a tax credit equal to the juror's monthly income in
11the previous year.

12(a.3) Parking.--A person summoned to serve as a juror shall
13be given a parking voucher for a nearby parking facility.

14(b) State reimbursement.--[The Commonwealth shall reimburse
15each county 80% of the amount expended by the county for such
16compensation and travel allowance beyond the first three days of
17service if the juror is participating in a trial or in grand
18jury proceedings.] Persons summoned to serve as a juror shall be 
19paid a travel allowance at the rate provided by current IRS 
20regulations, except that no travel allowance shall be paid in 
21the first judicial district. Application for reimbursement shall
22be made by the county to the State Treasurer through the
23Administrative Office pursuant to procedures prescribed by said
24office. As used in this section, trial participation shall
25include voir dire examination only if such examination shall
26have commenced prior to the juror's fourth day of service.

27(c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "jurors" 
28does not apply to those persons summoned to serve on a 
29multicounty investigating grand jury who are reimbursed under 
30section 4553(b) (relating to expenses of investigating grand 

1juries and trials resulting therefrom).

2Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.