The North Dakota Senate has passed a bill to offer up to 10 hours of psychological counseling to jurors who served in a trial that involved graphic, gruesome or emotional evidence or testimony.
The bill was introduced by the state Supreme Court. It earlier passed the House.
"There is a large body of evidence that demonstrates that jurors can experience post-traumatic stress syndrome, or symptoms of trauma for up to two years following jury service that involves having to listen to victim testimony, or see or heard graphic evidence," said Sen. Jose Castaneda (R-Minot).
Sen. Clare Cory (R-Grand Forks) was the only Senate Judiciary Committee member to vote "no."
"My thoughts were that this is a nanny-state bill," Cory said.
HB 1047 passed 32 to 13 – and it now heads to the Governor’s desk.
