ACTION ALERT - Tell Governor Newsom to Sign AB 881
Bill would raise jury stipends in parts of California, unchanged since 2000
Assembly Bill 881 (Phil Ting, AD19) would expand a program to raise juror pay for low-income jurors from $15 per day to $100 per day in San Francisco and four additional counties, rural and urban areas among them. AB 881 overwhelmingly passed both houses of the state Legislature and now sits on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, awaiting his signature. Newsom has less than 10 days left to sign this bill and ensure this effort goes forward to make juries more representative of California's diverse population.
Featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, "Newsom can improve California’s court system with one signature," Justin Phillips describes the why this bill is needed; "...given the troubling “tough-on-crime” atmosphere we find ourselves in, we must ensure that people of color, who are disproportionately impacted when CA “uses handcuffs and jail cells to solve deeper social issues, have a fair trial."
Also featured in Cal Matters, "Why California courts need to pay low-income jurors more than $15 per day," Newton Lam states; "Raising juror pay is long overdue. California’s jury pay is low compared to other states, despite our high cost of living. Other states are raising jury pay as well, with six states taking action this year alone. California hasn’t raised juror pay since the year 2000."
You can help get this bill past the finish line in two ways:
A. Contact Governor Newsom's office directly
By Email: https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/
- Using the “Topic” drop down menu: Select “An Active Bill”
- What specific bill? Select “AB 881- Juror Fees: Pilot Program”
- Select “Leave a Comment”
- Select “Next”
- “If applicable, what is your stance on this topic?” Select “Pro”
- Template Message to the Governor:
- My name is [NAME], and I [live/work] in [city.] [ I / My organization ____] support(s) AB 881, and I urge you to sign this important bill into law. Thank you.
By Phone: (916) 445-2841
Template Phone Script: My name is [NAME], and I [live/work] in [city.] [ I / My organization ____] support(s) AB 881, and I urge you to sign this important bill into law. Thank you.
B. Amplify the bill using Social Media Tweets/Facebook posts (Sample posts below)
Former SF Public Defender & Judge Newton Lam shares why @GavinNewsom must sign #AB881 (@PhilTing) #BeTheJuryCA: "AB 881 benefits everyone impacted by our justice system."
Get involved: bit.ly/BeTheJuryCA
Read the op-ed: https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/10/california-courts-jury-paid-more/
Former SF Public Defender & Judge Newton Lam on #AB881 (@PhilTing): "Raising juror pay is long overdue. California’s jury pay is low compared to other states, despite our high cost of living.... California hasn’t raised juror pay since the year 2000."
https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/10/california-courts-jury-paid-more/
Retired SF Judge Newton Lam: #AB881 (@PhilTing) "will allow ppl who otherwise couldn’t participate in this sacred civic duty to do so – people like my parents, whose jobs in Chinatown simply wouldn’t allow for them to take time off to be jurors. "
https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/10/california-courts-jury-paid-more/
Must read by @JustMrPhillips. Bottom line: @GavinNewsom must sign #AB881 (@PhilTing) asap "if he’s serious about addressing the problems that disproportionately affect people of color in California." https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/justinphillips/article/california-courts-jury-pay-18404710.php
Required reading by @JustMrPhillips on why @GavinNewsom must sign #AB881 (@PhilTing): CA leaders "must ensure that ppl of color, who are disproportionately impacted when CA uses handcuffs and jail cells to solve deeper social issues, have a fair trial." https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/justinphillips/article/california-courts-jury-pay-18404710.php
From @JustMrPhillips on #AB881 (@PhilTing): "The long-term cost of letting wealth continue to determine who gets to decide someone’s guilt or innocence is much higher than any of the expenses tied to creating true jury diversity." @GavinNewsom
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/justinphillips/article/california-courts-jury-pay-18404710.php
#AB881 (@AsmPhilTing) is on @GavinNewsom’s desk! #BeTheJuryCA ensures CA fairly compensates low income jurors and ends our long history of excluding jurors based on race, gender & class in SF and 5 counties reflecting urban and rural diversity!
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/27/us/california-jury-pay.html
Concerningly, juries across CA are increasingly less diverse due to the steep financial hardship facing potential jurors. We're hopeful @GavinNewsom will swiftly sign #AB881 (@AsmPhilTing) to bring us closer to #FairJuriesForAll! https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/27/us/california-jury-pay.html
Diverse juries deliberate longer, consider more facts, make fewer incorrect assertions, correct themselves more, and benefit from a broader pool of life experiences. They are essential to the fair delivery of justice. @GavinNewsom please sign #AB881 (@AsmPhilTing)!
