Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (ME) on Wednesday joined her Democratic colleague Jeanne Shaheen (NH) as a co-sponsor of now-bipartisan legislation to prevent discrimination againstLGBTQ+Americans during the federal jury selection process.The bill would prohibit discrimination against jurors in federal courts on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Related Sen. Tammy Baldwin & 44 others fight GOPs anti-LGBTQ+ provisions in must pass funding bills The provisions undermine peoples ability to make decisions about their bodies, lives, and futures, the senators wrote. Shaheen has introduced the legislation multiple times in the Senate without success. The inclusion of Collins may give the bill a bipartisan bump. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Current federal statute bars jury discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, and economic status. There is no federal prohibition on discriminating against jurors based on sexual orientation or gender identity, even though a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision defined anti-LGBTQ+ workplace discrimination as a form of sex-based discrimination already prohibited by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.The bipartisan legislation follows a House version of the bill, introduced by out Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) and Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX). Their bill interpreted sex as including LGBTQ+ people. The Senate bill revives that effort with more explicit protections.Serving on a jury is a civic duty that no one should be prevented from fulfilling because of who they are or who they love,Shaheen said, announcing the bill.Its preposterous that under current law there are no protections prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ+ jurors in federal courts and Congress must take action to rectify this injustice. Shaheen and Collins legislation, theJury ACCESS Act (or Jury Access for Capable Citizens and Equality in Service Selection Act), would amend federal statute to include sexual orientation and gender identity, meaning that striking jurors on either basis would be explicitly prohibited under federal law for the first time.Serving on a jury is a fundamental right and obligation that no individual should be prohibited from fulfilling based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, Collins said.I have long worked to fight discrimination, and I am proud to join this effort to help eliminate bias from our judicial system.Currently, 17 U.S. states prohibit excluding jurors based on sexual orientation in state courts. Just 12 provide protections for gender identity. Collins, a senior member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, voted in favor of the latest National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which stripped gender-affirming care for trans youth from service members health plans. She has a mixed record on LGBTQ+ rights overall. The Human Rights Campaigns (HRC) Congressional Scorecard from October 2024 lists Collins score as 58%.Shaheen is a longtime supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. After she announced her retirement from the Senate earlier this year, out U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) jumped in the race in April.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.