Jury ACCESS Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 2122
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Law
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-21T19:32:26Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Jury ACCESS Act of 2025 aims to ensure fair and non-discriminatory selection of federal juries by prohibiting exclusions based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It promotes equal access to jury service for all qualified individuals, aligning federal law with broader anti-discrimination principles.
Key Provisions
- Amendment to Existing Law: The bill modifies Section 1862 of Title 28, United States Code (which governs the qualifications and selection of federal jurors), by adding "sexual orientation, gender identity" after the word "sex" in the list of prohibited grounds for exclusion.
- Scope: This change applies specifically to federal jury selection processes, ensuring that no person can be disqualified from serving on a federal jury solely due to their sexual orientation (a person's enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions) or gender identity (a person's internal sense of their own gender, which may or may not match the sex assigned at birth).
- Short Title: The legislation is officially titled the "Jury Access for Capable Citizens and Equality in Service Selection Act of 2025" or the "Jury ACCESS Act of 2025."
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Prior to this amendment, Section 1862 already barred exclusions from federal juries based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status.
- The bill expands these protections by explicitly including sexual orientation and gender identity, closing a gap in federal law that previously did not address these characteristics in the context of jury service.
- This is a targeted, one-sentence addition to the statute, making it a straightforward clarification rather than a comprehensive overhaul.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens: Enhances equal opportunity for LGBTQ+ individuals to participate in the judicial system as jurors, potentially leading to more diverse juries that better represent the population and improve perceptions of fairness in trials.
- On Government Agencies: Federal courts and jury administrators (such as the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts) will need to update selection procedures, training, and guidelines to comply, which may involve minimal administrative costs but could reduce discrimination-related challenges.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic federal jury processes.
- Broader Effects: Could indirectly strengthen public trust in the U.S. justice system by addressing inequities, though enforcement would rely on existing mechanisms for reporting and addressing discrimination in jury selection.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- LGBTQ+ Individuals: Primary beneficiaries, gaining explicit protection against bias in federal jury summons and selection.
- Federal Judiciary and Court Personnel: Responsible for implementing the change, including judges, clerks, and jury commissioners who handle selection.
- Defendants and Litigants in Federal Cases: Benefit from more impartial and representative juries, potentially affecting trial outcomes and appeals related to jury composition.
- Civil Rights Organizations: Groups advocating for LGBTQ+ equality may use this as a tool to monitor and challenge discriminatory practices.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Strengthens challenges to discriminatory jury exclusions under federal law, potentially integrating with Supreme Court precedents on equal protection (e.g., cases interpreting the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, which requires fair treatment under the law). It may reduce litigation over implicit biases in jury selection.
- Constitutional Implications: Aligns with constitutional principles of due process and equal protection by ensuring juries are drawn from a fair cross-section of the community, as required by the 6th Amendment for criminal trials.
- Political Implications: As a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Shaheen, Collins, and others in the 119th Congress (referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee), it reflects growing congressional focus on LGBTQ+ rights without altering broader civil rights frameworks. It could set a precedent for similar expansions in other areas of public service but may face debate over the scope of federal versus state jury protections.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (10)
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV], Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM], Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI], Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-06-18: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Jury Access for Capable Citizens and Equality in Service Selection Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-18 — PDF (2 pages)