FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 6261

C 127 L 04

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Modifying juror payment provisions.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Senators B. Sheldon, Oke and T. Sheldon).

Senate Committee on Judiciary

House Committee on Judiciary

Background: In Washington, persons summoned to serve as jurors are eligible to receive daily compensation for their time of service.

Under federal law, federal employees are required to take paid leaves of absence for jury service. Juror compensation received by federal employees must be credited against the employee's pay. However, payments made to reimburse jurors for their out-of-pocket expenses need not be credited against an employee's pay.

As state law is currently written, then, federal employees summoned to jury service in Washington must remit to the federal government compensation received for jury service.

Summary: Statutory language is amended to clarify that jurors are eligible to receive expense payments, rather than compensation, for their service. This has the effect of allowing federal employees to retain expense payments for jury service, rather than being required to remit juror compensation to the federal government.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       48  0

House       94  0

Effective: June 10, 2004