Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2476
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Law
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-28: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:56:52Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation, titled the "Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act," aims to prevent discrimination in federal jury selection by prohibiting the exclusion of individuals based on disability or age. It promotes equal access to jury service, ensuring that qualified people with disabilities can participate with appropriate accommodations.
Key Provisions
- Prohibition on Discrimination: Amends Section 1862 of Title 28, United States Code (which lists grounds for challenging jury selection plans), to explicitly ban exclusion based on "disability" or "age" alongside existing protections against discrimination by race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status.
- Updated Qualifications for Jury Service: Modifies Section 1865(b)(4) of Title 28, United States Code (which outlines reasons for disqualifying potential jurors), by replacing the term "infirmity" (meaning physical weakness or illness) with "disability that cannot be reasonably accommodated." This requires courts to consider accommodations before disqualifying someone.
- Accommodation Requirement: Adds a new subsection (c) to Section 1865, stating that no person can be disqualified from grand or petit (trial) juries under certain existing criteria if they would qualify with "reasonable accommodation" (practical adjustments, like providing assistive devices or modified procedures, to enable participation without undue hardship).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands federal jury nondiscrimination rules to include disability and age, which were not explicitly protected before, building on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) principles but applying them specifically to jury service.
- Shifts from a blanket exclusion for physical or mental "infirmities" to a more inclusive standard that mandates reasonable accommodations, potentially allowing more diverse jury pools.
- These changes apply only to federal courts, not state or local ones.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Federal courts and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts may need to update jury selection processes, train staff on accommodations (e.g., sign language interpreters or accessible facilities), and allocate resources for implementation, which could increase administrative costs but enhance compliance with equality laws.
- On Citizens: Individuals with disabilities or older adults gain better access to civic participation in jury service, fostering more representative juries and reducing barriers to equal treatment under the law. Defendants and the justice system may benefit from fairer, more diverse juries.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as this is a domestic matter focused on U.S. federal courts.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- People with Disabilities and Older Adults: Primary beneficiaries, as they can no longer be automatically excluded and must be considered for accommodations.
- Federal Judiciary and Court Staff: Responsible for implementing changes, including assessing accommodations and revising jury summons and qualification procedures.
- Litigants and the Public: Including defendants, plaintiffs, and attorneys, who may see more inclusive juries leading to broader perspectives in trials.
- Advocacy Groups: Organizations focused on disability rights (e.g., those aligned with the ADA) and aging populations, who sponsored or support the bill.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens alignment with the ADA and the Jury Selection and Service Act of 1968 by embedding accommodation requirements into federal law, potentially reducing lawsuits over discriminatory jury exclusions. Courts may interpret "reasonable accommodation" similarly to employment contexts, setting precedents for accessibility in civic duties.
- Constitutional: Advances equal protection under the 14th Amendment by promoting impartial and representative juries (as required by the 6th Amendment for fair trials), addressing historical biases against disabled or elderly individuals in jury pools.
- Political: Introduced by a bipartisan group of senators with a focus on civil rights, it signals growing emphasis on inclusivity in democratic processes. If enacted, it could inspire similar reforms in state courts or other civic areas, though implementation challenges (e.g., defining "reasonable" accommodations) might lead to ongoing debates or litigation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (11)
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL], Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-28: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-07-28: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act — issued 2025-07-28 — PDF (2 pages)