HB 291-FN – AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
24Mar2009… 0553h
2009 SESSION
09/01
HOUSE BILL 291-FN
AN ACT relative to a one day/one trial jury duty pilot program.
SPONSORS: Rep. DiFruscia, Rock 4; Rep. G. Richardson, Merr 4; Rep. Nord, Rock 1
This bill requires the chief justices of the supreme court and superior court to establish and institute a one day/one trial jury duty pilot program in Belknap county superior court.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24Mar2009… 0553h
09-0211
09/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine
AN ACT relative to a one day/one trial jury duty pilot program.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 One Day/One Trial Jury Duty Pilot Program; Belknap County Superior Court. The chief justices of the supreme court and the superior court shall establish, by court rule, a one-day/one trial jury duty pilot program to be implemented in the Belknap county superior court. The pilot program shall be based on the one-day/one trial jury duty system currently operating in Massachusetts to the extent it is applicable to New Hampshire and in conformance with New Hampshire laws. Best current practices to reduce the costs of the pilot program shall be investigated by the chief justices of the supreme court and the superior court and the pilot program shall begin operation in January, 2010. The chief justices of the supreme court and the superior court shall make a report on the pilot program, with recommendations for its continuance and expansion to other superior courts, on or before November 1, 2011 to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the governor, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the chairman of the house judiciary committee, the chairman of the senate judiciary committee, and the state library.
2 Repeal. Section 1 of this act, relative to a one day/one trial jury pilot program in Belknap county superior court, is repealed.
3 Effective Date.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2012.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect January 1, 2010.
LBAO
09-0211
01/07/09
HB 291-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to a one day/one trial jury duty pilot program.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Judicial Branch states this bill will increase state expenditures by $63,116 in FY 2010, $103,315 in FY 2011, and $108,910 in FY 2012. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local expenditures or state, county, and local revenues.
METHODOLOGY:
The Judicial Branch states this bill will require the supreme court and superior court to establish a one-day/one-trial jury duty pilot program in the Rockingham County superior court beginning January 1, 2010. This pilot program will be repealed on July 1, 2012. The Branch estimates this bill will require 26 additional jury panels each year. The Branch estimates this will require two entry-level court assistant II positions at a starting salary of $23,500. The Branch estimates a judge spends approximately one and half hours with the incoming jury pool on the day the pool assembles. With 26 additional jury panels this will increase state expenditures by $1,895 in FY 2010 and $3,790 each year thereafter ($97.17 per hour x 1.5 hours x 26 jury panels = $3,790 annually. For six months in FY 2010 $3,790/2 = $1,895). The Branch also anticipates a one-time equipment expense of $15,725 in FY 2010 before the start of the program. Total costs for the program are as follows:
FY 2010 |
FY 2011 |
FY 2012 | |
Salary Court Assistant II (2 positions) |
$23,500 |
$48,175 |
$50,584 |
Benefits - Court Assistant II (2 positions) |
$15,725 |
$38,808 |
$41,994 |
Judges – Time |
$1,895 |
$3,790 |
$3,790 |
Equipment (computers, workstations, phones, photocopier) |
$15,725 |
$0 |
$0 |
Current Expenses (postage, stationary, phone line) |
$6,271 |
$12,542 |
$12,542 |
$63,116 |
$103,315 |
$108,910 |
This bill does not contain an appropriation or establish positions.