A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 14-7-1370, RELATING TO COMPENSATION OF JURORS IN CIRCUIT COURTS, SO AS TO REVISE THE STATUTE AND PROVIDE MINIMUM JUROR COMPENSATION IN ALL COUNTIES OF THE STATE FOR jury service in circuit courts.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.  Section 14-7-1370 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

    Section 14-7-1370. (A) Jurors serving in the circuit courts of this State shall, in addition to minimum mileage at the current state rate of five cents per mile going to and returning from court, receive a per diem in the several counties of this State, as follows:

    (1) In the counties of Anderson, Calhoun, Clarendon, Dillon, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Lancaster, Laurens, Marion, Marlboro, Richland and York, two dollars;  provided, that in Marlboro County petit jurors shall receive, in addition to the per diem, two dollars for each night when detained on jury duty after ten o'clock P.M.;

    (2) In Union County, two dollars and fifty cents;  provided, that petit jurors shall receive, in addition to the per diem, two dollars and fifty cents for each night when detained on jury duty after ten o'clock P. M.;

    (3) In the counties of Bamberg, Barnwell, Cherokee, Chester, Colleton, Fairfield, Jasper, Lexington, Oconee and Orangeburg, three dollars;  provided, that if any juror in Chester County is kept on duty after eleven o'clock at night, he shall be paid for an additional day;  provided, further, that in Orangeburg County each juror shall receive mileage for going to and returning from court for each day of attendance at court;

    (4) In Kershaw and Spartanburg Counties, four dollars;

    (5) In Abbeville County, ten dollars;

    (6) In Berkeley, Fairfield, Horry, McCormick, Newberry and Sumter Counties, five dollars;  provided, however, that:

       (a) Jurors in Berkeley County shall be paid mileage at the rate of ten cents per mile going to and returning from court;

       (b) If in Newberry County any juror serving upon any case is detained by such jury service after twelve o'clock midnight, it shall be considered that the jury shall have entered into a new day of jury service;  and if a juror in either such county is discharged from jury service before one o'clock P. M. on any day he shall be paid only two dollars and fifty cents;

       (c) Jurors in Chesterfield County shall be paid mileage at seven cents per mile for each day's attendance on court;

       (d) In Horry County petit jurors shall receive an additional five dollars per night when detained on jury duty after eleven o'clock P. M.;  and if any juror in Horry County is excused from jury service at his own request he shall not be paid compensation as a juror but shall only be entitled to receive compensation for mileage;

       (e) In Georgetown County, jurors shall be paid mileage at the rate of seven cents per mile going to and from court;

    (7) The pay for all jurors of Darlington County shall be as follows:  The foreman of a grand jury, five dollars per day and ten cents mileage one way;  all other jurors, grand and petit, three dollars per day and ten cents mileage one way, and the county auditor of Darlington County shall levy and the treasurer and the tax collector shall collect sufficient funds for the purposes of this paragraph;

    (8) In Saluda County, seven dollars per day and mileage for each trip going to and returning from court;

    (9) In Aiken County, six dollars;  and

    (10) In Allendale County, seven dollars;

    (11) In Charleston County the circuit court grand and petit jurors shall receive seven dollars per day whether or not they are discharged from jury service before one o'clock P. M. on any day, and mileage at the rate of ten cents per mile for going to and returning from court for each day of attendance at court;

    (12) In Beaufort County, twelve dollars and fifty cents, and if any juror serving upon any case is detained by such jury service after twelve o'clock midnight, it shall be considered that the jury shall have entered into a new day of jury service.  In addition jurors shall be paid mileage for going to and returning from court for each day of attendance at court at the same rate as authorized by law for an employee of the State.  Such mileage shall be paid each day.

    (13) In Chesterfield County, eight dollars;

    (14) In Hampton and Georgetown Counties, ten dollars;  and

    (15) In Lee County, seven dollars.

    (16) In Pickens and Florence Counties, ten dollars and if any juror serving upon any case is detained by such jury service after twelve o'clock midnight, it shall be considered that the jury shall have entered into a new day of jury service.  Jurors shall be paid mileage at the rate of ten cents per mile for going to and returning from court for each day of attendance at court.

    (17) In Edgefield County ten dollars and mileage at the rate of ten cents per mile going to and returning from court for each day's attendance at court.

    (18) In Dorchester County ten dollars per day and mileage at the rate of ten cents per mile going to and returning from court for each weekly session.

    (19) In Williamsburg County, twelve dollars, and if any juror serving upon any case is detained by such jury service after twelve o'clock midnight, it shall be considered that the jury shall have entered into a new day of jury service.  In addition jurors shall be paid mileage for going to and returning from court for each day of attendance at court at the rate of ten cents per mile.  Such mileage shall be paid each day. a minimum of twenty-five dollars a day for the first five days of jury service; and

       (2) a minimum of fifty dollars a day for each day after day five of jury service.

    (B) The calculation of days of jury service includes the jury selection process, and persons who appear for jury selection who are not selected to serve on a jury also shall receive compensation as described in subsection (A) for the number of days they are required to appear.

    (C) The mileage and compensation required by the provisions of this section set minimum mileage and compensation only, mileage and compensation in the various counties may vary and nothing contained in this section prevents a particular county from providing additional mileage and compensation to jurors as they may deem appropriate.

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect on July 1, 2024.

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