Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act
Summary
HB5096, titled the Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act, would amend federal jury-selection law to bar exclusion from federal jury service on the basis of disability and age. The bill updates Title 28 of the U.S. Code to add disability and age to the list of protected characteristics in the federal jury discrimination statute, and it revises the jury-qualification rules so that a person cannot be disqualified for a disability if they can serve with reasonable accommodation.
More specifically, the bill changes the federal juror qualification standard that currently refers to an “infirmity” by replacing it with a narrower standard focused on whether a disability can be reasonably accommodated. It also adds a new provision stating that no person may be disqualified from grand or petit jury service in federal district court on account of disability if they would otherwise qualify with reasonable accommodation. The measure is limited to federal juries and does not directly alter state jury-selection laws.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would amend sections 1862 and 1865 of Title 28, United States Code, expanding federal jury nondiscrimination protections to explicitly cover disability and age and requiring reasonable accommodation in jury service. It would affect federal courts, jury administrators, and prospective jurors with disabilities or age-related limitations by making exclusion harder unless a disqualification cannot be resolved through accommodation. The bill does not appear to change state law, but it could influence how federal courts evaluate accessibility and juror eligibility.
Sentiment
The available context suggests generally supportive sentiment, with the bill introduced by a bipartisan-leaning group of House members and no recorded committee opposition, votes, or hearing debate in the provided materials. The title and text frame the measure as a civil-rights and access-to-courts reform aimed at preventing categorical exclusion from civic participation. Because there are no transcripts or votes, there is no documented public controversy in the supplied record.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the scope of the accommodation requirement and whether federal courts and jury administrators would face added administrative burden in determining when a disability can be reasonably accommodated. Another possible issue is the inclusion of age in the nondiscrimination language, which could raise questions about how age-based exclusions are currently used in jury administration and whether the bill changes those practices beyond disability protections. No specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided committee materials.