Introduction of the District of Columbia Juror Pay Parity Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia Juror Pay Parity Act of 2018 to require that D.C. Superior Court jurors receive pay for jury service equal to that received by federal jurors.

Currently, D.C. Superior Court jurors are paid $30 per day, and, under the D.C. Home Rule Act, only the D.C. courts and Congress have the authority to increase Superior Court juror pay. My bill would require that Superior Court jurors receive pay equal to that received by federal jurors.

In the fiscal year 2018 omnibus appropriations bill, Congress included a pay increase from $40 to $50 per day for federal jurors, the first increase to federal juror pay in 28 years. My bill would give Superior Court jurors the same pay.

Under the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33), Congress took responsibility for paying for the D.C. courts and most other state-like functions. The D.C. courts, however, have always been under the control of Congress, even when they were funded by the District. The Home Rule Act prohibits the District government from enacting any law regarding Title 11 of the D.C. Code. Title 11 provides that the Board of Judges of the Superior Court sets juror pay, but that the pay may not exceed the pay of federal jurors. Therefore, this bill, or action by D.C. courts, is necessary to increase Superior Court juror pay.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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