1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to courts; jurors; authorizing the court to 
  1.3             tax parties in a civil action for hardship expenses 
  1.4             incurred by a juror; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.5             section 593.48. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 593.48, is 
  1.8   amended to read: 
  1.9      593.48 [COMPENSATION OF JURORS AND TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT.] 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [JUROR REIMBURSEMENT.] A juror shall be 
  1.11  reimbursed for round-trip travel between the juror's residence 
  1.12  and the place of holding court and compensated for required 
  1.13  attendance at sessions of court and may be reimbursed for 
  1.14  additional day care expenses incurred as a result of jury duty 
  1.15  at rates determined by the supreme court.  A juror may request 
  1.16  reimbursement for additional parking expenses incurred as a 
  1.17  result of jury duty, in which case the reimbursement shall be 
  1.18  paid and the juror's compensation for required attendance at 
  1.19  sessions of court shall be reduced by the amount of the parking 
  1.20  reimbursement.  Except in the eighth judicial district where the 
  1.21  state shall pay directly, the compensation and reimbursement 
  1.22  shall be paid out of the county treasury upon receipt of 
  1.23  authorization to pay from the jury commissioner.  These jury 
  1.24  costs shall be reimbursed monthly by the supreme court upon 
  1.25  submission of an invoice by the county treasurer.  A monthly 
  2.1   report of payments to jurors shall be sent to the jury 
  2.2   commissioner within two weeks of the end of the month in the 
  2.3   form required by the jury commissioner. 
  2.4      Subd. 2.  [JUROR HARDSHIP EXPENSES.] Upon request of a 
  2.5   juror who provides evidence of substantial financial hardship 
  2.6   incurred because of the length of a trial in a civil action, the 
  2.7   court shall apportion as costs among all parties to the trial an 
  2.8   amount up to $50 a day to compensate the juror, in addition to 
  2.9   whatever reimbursement or payment for services the juror 
  2.10  receives by law or court rule.