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At the request
of the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing,
Representatives Jenee' Lowe and Danielle Moore introduced HB 500 on
2/18/03. If passed, that bill will change the law regarding who can
serve as a petit or grand juror in Missouri courts.
Current Missouri law says that a person is
"disqualified from serving as a petit or grand juror" if that person
is "unable to read, speak and understand the English language." This
law clearly discriminates against a variety of disabled persons,
including blind persons who cannot "read," persons who were born
deaf and never learned to "speak," and persons who have had their
vocal chords or larynx damaged and can no longer "speak." This
provision of the law also clearly violates the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990.
HB 500 would change the law to disqualify a person
from serving on a jury if they were "unable to communicate
effectively in English with or without auxiliary aids and services."
This would allow blind persons to serve on juries with the aid of
readers, deaf persons to serve with the services of interpreters,
and so forth. HB 500 has been referred to the House Judiciary
Committee, but has not yet been scheduled for a public hearing.
Advocates who would like to see HB 500 become law are urged to
contact the chair of the House Judiciary Committee (Representative
Richard Byrd, 573-751-5956 (V), 573-522-9288 (FAX), E-Mail:
rbyrd@mail.state.mo.us ) and urge him to support HB 500 and
schedule it for a public hearing as soon as possible. |
