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Judicial department-backed task force to study barriers to jury service wins committee support
Summary
Senate Bill 1175 would create a 15-member task force, staffed by the Oregon Judicial Department, to examine barriers to jury service — including compensation, accessibility and participation — and report recommendations by Dec. 15, 2026. The committee held a public hearing and supporters from the judicial
The Senate Committee on Judiciary on March 24 took testimony in support of Senate Bill 1175, a proposal to establish a 15-member task force to examine and recommend ways to remove barriers to jury service.
Committee staff explained the bill would direct the Oregon Judicial Department to staff the task force, which must examine topics related to jury participation and compensation and deliver a report to the chief justice, the governor and the interim judiciary committees by Dec. 15, 2026. Agency representatives told the committee that current jury participation is declining, citing an increase in failure-to-respond rates and waiver requests, and argued that compensation is a key component but not the only factor driving the decline.
Witnesses supporting the bill included Aaron Knott, director of government relations and communications for the Oregon Judicial Department, who described national survey data and state participation trends and urged a broad review of compensation, accessibility and outreach; Avery Pickard, legislative counsel for the Oregon State Bar, said the bar supports the bill and would participate on the task force; and Maylene Browning of the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association said a representative defense perspective is important to ensure juries reflect diverse communities.
Committee discussion asked whether the task force’s scope extended beyond compensation; witnesses and some senators said compensation should be a key focus but the task force should consider accessibility, childcare and other practical barriers. The judicial department said it would staff the task force with internal resources and did not seek a separate appropriation in committee.
The committee closed the public hearing; staff said SB 1175 would be set for a later work session.
