Bill Text: NJ S1848 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Permits juror donation of statutory juror compensation to Legal Services of New Jersey through AOC; provides for payment of State matching funds, equal to juror donation amount, to same organization.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-07 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [S1848 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-S1848-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator PETER J. BARNES, III
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Permits juror donation of statutory juror compensation to Legal Services of New Jersey through AOC; provides for payment of State matching funds, equal to juror donation amount, to same organization.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the donation of juror compensation, and amending P.L.1993, c.275 and supplementing Title 22A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 19 of P.L.1993, c.275 (C.22A:1-1.1) is amended to read as follows:
19. a. Every person serving as a juror in New Jersey courts, whether as a grand or petit juror, shall receive, for each day's attendance at such courts, the sum of $5.
b. In addition to the amounts received pursuant to subsection a. of this section, each person serving as a juror, other than a person compensated pursuant to N.J.S.2B:20-16, shall be paid $35 for each consecutive day of attendance in excess of three days. For the purposes of this subsection, "consecutive" days of attendance shall be counted excluding Saturdays, Sundays, State holidays and days when a trial is in recess.
c. (1) The Assignment Judge of the vicinage shall designate the method of juror payment.
(2) A juror, regardless of the method of juror payment designated by the Assignment Judge, shall have the option to donate, through the voluntary charitable contributions system established pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), all or a portion of the juror's fees to Legal Services of New Jersey, the Statewide nonprofit organization that provides free legal assistance in civil matters to persons who are unable to afford the cost of legal representation. Any juror making a donation pursuant to this paragraph shall provide authorization to the court in writing, in a manner established by the Administrative Office of the Courts.
(3) The Assignment Judge shall keep an account of all juror fees paid or donated under this section and provide each juror with a statement of the number of days the juror served [and] , the total amount of fees to which the juror is entitled, and the total amount of fees designated for donation by the juror.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.38, s.1)
2. (New section) a. The Administrative Office of the Courts, in consultation with the State Treasurer, shall establish a juror voluntary charitable contribution system for the collection of juror donated fees, as authorized pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection c. of section 19 of P.L.1993, c.275 (C.22A:1-1.1), for donation to Legal Services of New Jersey, the Statewide nonprofit organization that provides free legal assistance in civil matters to persons who are unable to afford the cost of legal representation. All juror fees donated through the established system shall be forwarded, at least annually, to the Department of the Treasury for deposit in the General Fund and subsequent transmittal to Legal Services of New Jersey.
b. The State Treasurer, upon receipt of donated juror fees through the juror voluntary charitable contribution system, shall make an accounting of the amount of donated fees received at the time they are deposited in the General Fund. Thereafter, the State Treasurer shall transmit, from the General Fund at least annually, double the amount of the previously received donated juror fees to Legal Services of New Jersey, representing those donated juror fees plus a State match equal to those fees.
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following enactment, but the State Treasurer and the Administrative Office of the Courts may take any administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of the act.
STATEMENT
This bill would permit jurors to donate their statutory juror compensation to Legal Services of New Jersey, a Statewide nonprofit organization that provides free legal assistance in civil matters, through a voluntary charitable contribution system established by the Administrative Office of the Courts (in consultation with the State Treasurer).
Under the bill, a juror would have the option to donate, through the established system, all or a portion of the juror's compensation. Any such juror electing to make such donation would have to provide written authorization to the court in a manner established by the Administrative Office of the Courts. All donations would be forwarded, at least annually, to the Department of the Treasury for deposit in the General Fund and subsequent transmittal to Legal Services of New Jersey.
The State Treasurer, upon receipt of the donations, would make an accounting of the amount received at the time they are deposited in the General Fund. Thereafter, the State Treasurer would transmit, from the General Fund at least annually, double the amount of the donated juror compensation to Legal Services of New Jersey, representing the donated amount plus a State match equal to that amount.
