Bill Text: NJ S1582 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Permits juror donation of statutory juror compensation to New Jersey Vet2Vet Hotline program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-13 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [S1582 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S1582-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Permits juror donation of statutory juror compensation to New Jersey Vet2Vet Hotline program.
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 the New Jersey Vet2Vet Hotline program, which is operated by Rutgers University Behavior Heath Care with funding assistance from the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to provide confidential, 24-hour-a-day peer counseling, support, and referral services by veterans for the benefit of active, reserve, veteran, and retired military service members, and their families and other caretakers. 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 contributions system for the collection of juror fees donated by jurors, 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 the New Jersey Vet2Vet Hotline program, which is operated by Rutgers University Behavior Heath Care with funding assistance from the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to provide confidential, 24-hour-a-day peer counseling, support, and referral services by veterans for the benefit of active, reserve, veteran, and retired military service members, and their families and other caretakers.
b. All juror fees donated through the established contributions system shall be forwarded, at least annually, to the Department of the Treasury for transfer to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs for the purposes of promoting the availability of the New Jersey Vet2Vet Hotline program, as well as assisting with its administration.
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 the New Jersey Vet2Vet Hotline program, which is operated by Rutgers University Behavior Heath Care with funding assistance from the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs. The program provides confidential, 24-hour-a-day peer counseling, support, and referral services, particularly with respect to mental health care providers. The hotline is staffed by veterans for the benefit of active, reserve, veteran, and retired military service members, and their families and other caretakers.
Juror fee donations would be made through a voluntary charitable contributions system established by the Administrative Office of the Courts (in consultation with the State Treasurer). 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 a 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 transfer to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs for the purposes of promoting the availability of the New Jersey Vet2Vet Hotline program, as well as assisting with its administration.
