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Bill Seeks To Raise Maine Juror Pay To $50 A Day

Juror pay in Maine could more than triple under a new bill lawmakers are taking into consideration.

The bill would raise pay for jurors in state courts from $15 per day to $50 per day.

The Bangor Daily News reports the Legislature's judiciary committee endorsed raising juror pay last week, but is undecided on how large the increase should be.

Eight committee members voted for the proposed $50 rate, while three voted for a $10 increase to $25 per day.

The committee clerk says two members have yet to vote as of Tuesday.

Sen. Paul Davis says the pay raise was proposed after people increasingly failed to show up for jury duty.

If approved, the change would raise the judiciary's annual budget from $500,000 to $1 million.