Shaheen reintroduces bill barring anti-LGBT bias in juror selection
By Chris Johnson on January 28, 2013
http://www.washingtonblade.com/2013/01/28/shaheen-reintroduces-bill-barring-anti-lgbt-bias-in-juror-selection/ A bipartisan group of U.S. senators led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) last week reintroduced legislation that would prohibit bias against LGBT people during the juror selection process.
The legislation, known as the Jury ACCESS (Access for Capable Citizens and Equality in Service Selection) Act of 2013, would prohibit the practice of striking jurors in federal courts on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Shaheen is the chief sponsor of the bill, and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) are original co-sponsors. The bill was reintroduced on Tuesday.
In a statement, Shaheen said the legislation is necessary because "we simply can't tolerate discrimination against a potential juror because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
"Our country is founded on the principles of inclusion, acceptance, and equality," Shaheen added. "The jury selection process in federal courts should reflect those principles."
U.S. code currently prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin and economic status in the jury selection process in federal courts. But nothing in the law prohibits discrimination in juror discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
