Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act amends federal jury-selection law. It adds disability and age to the list of characteristics on which citizens may not be excluded from federal jury service. It replaces exclusion based on infirmity with exclusion only for a disability that cannot be reasonably accommodated. It also provides that a person may not be disqualified from federal grand or petit jury service on account of disability if the person would otherwise be qualified with reasonable accommodation. The bill expands civic participation for older adults and people with disabilities while requiring federal courts to handle accommodation questions more carefully.
Who Benefits and How
People with disabilities benefit because federal courts must consider reasonable accommodations before disqualifying them from jury service. Older adults benefit because age is added to the nondiscrimination language for federal jury selection. Disability rights organizations benefit from a clearer statutory right to participate in federal juries. Federal criminal and civil litigants benefit from jury pools that more fully represent the community.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal court clerks must update jury qualification practices and accommodation procedures. District courts must evaluate whether disabilities can be reasonably accommodated before disqualification. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of accommodations and updated jury administration. Jury administrators must train staff on disability and age nondiscrimination rules.
Key Provisions
- Adds disability and age to federal jury-service nondiscrimination protections.
- Replaces infirmity exclusion with disability that cannot be reasonably accommodated.
- Requires reasonable-accommodation analysis before disability-based disqualification.
- Applies to grand and petit juries in federal district court.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Bars exclusion from federal grand and petit jury service because of disability or age and requires reasonable accommodation when disability can be accommodated.
Key Policy Areas
Civil Rights, Disability, Courts
Primary Purpose
Bars exclusion from federal grand and petit jury service because of disability or age and requires reasonable accommodation when disability can be accommodated.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- People with disabilities
- Older adults
- Disability rights organizations
- Federal litigants
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal court clerks
- District courts
- Federal taxpayers
- Jury administrators
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMs. Simon (for herself, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Mr. Carbajal, …
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
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