Jurors could be getting a $20 raise for their service.
Lawmakers advanced a bill that would pay jurors $50 each day they spend in court. They currently receive $30.
Office of the Public Defender Deputy Hayley Cheng told lawmakers the low pay is one of the reasons why it's difficult to get people to serve as jurors.
"Just want to emphasize the challenges that we face getting jurors to come to court, and the financial obligations and the financial burdens that they face, especially given the more lengthy trials, is significant and sometimes causes us to lose jurors," Cheng said.
"The increase is only nominal, we do understand that, but anything is better than nothing. So we stand in strong support."
The increase proposed in the bill would put the state in line with how much jurors get paid at the U.S. District Court.
Payment for jurors across the country varies. Some states have lower mandates, like Alabama, which pays only $10 a day. Others like North Dakota pay up to $100 a day.
The last time the state increased compensation for jurors was in 1989.
