AB 1981 Jury Pilot Program
Update: The Governor’s May Revision to the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget released Wednesday, May 14, 2025 includes budget trailer bill language to eliminate the requirement for the Judicial Council to conduct the AB 1981 jury pilot study (Assem. Bill 1981 [Lee]; Stats 2022, ch. 326, effective January 1, 2023) and revert any unspent funds to be used to offset the state’s projected $12 billion budget shortfall. The AB 1981 Jury Pilot Program created a pilot program in the Superior Courts of Alameda, El Dorado, Fresno, Imperial, Monterey, San Bernardino, and Shasta. While the fiscal year 2025–26 budget is not final until the Governor signs it in June, the language in the May Revision indicates it would be prudent to pause work activities on the AB 1981 jury pilot program until the budget is finalized, including a pause on the increased per diem as part of the jury pilot program.
An overdue increase to juror per diems and groundbreaking research into juror participation.
The AB 1981 Jury Pilot Program (Assem. Bill 1981 [Lee]; Stats 2022, ch. 326, effective January 1, 2023) made a number of changes to juror per diems. It expanded the mileage reimbursement from one way to $0.34 per mile roundtrip. It created a new public transit reimbursement of up to $12 per day, starting on the first day of service, and authorized courts to engage in partnerships with public transit agencies to better serve jurors without access to private vehicles. This is the first increase to juror per diems in approximately 20 years. The law also mandated the creation of a pilot program to explore what impact, if any, increasing juror per diems would have on juror diversity and participation. Beginning in 2024, the Judicial Council, along with the Superior Courts of Alameda, El Dorado, Fresno, Imperial, Monterey, San Bernardino, and Shasta implemented this pilot program. Coming soon, juror per diems increase from $15 to $100 per day and mileage reimbursements from $0.34 to $0.67 per mile roundtrip. The Judicial Council contracted with experts from the National Center for State Court’s to survey participants and collect demographic data for a legislative report to be delivered by September 1, 2026.
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