Bill > HB189

This bill establishes the "Seventh Amendment Preservation Act", which aims to protect citizens' constitutional rights to a civil trial by jury. The legislation declares that the Seventh Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is fundamental to the nation's foundation, and seeks to ensure Missouri residents can seek legal redress for wrongdoing. The bill provides several key protections: it preempts any legislation that restricts access to courts, invalidates federal or state acts that infringe on the right to a civil trial, mandates government protection of citizens' rights to a jury trial, and creates legal liability for entities that deprive citizens of their constitutional rights to a civil trial. Specifically, the bill eliminates legislative restrictions on settlement amounts, jury awards, court access, jurisdiction, and venue, rendering any existing such provisions null and void. The act also allows for reasonable attorney's fees and costs to be awarded to the prevailing party in certain circumstances, and broadly interprets constitutional rights to include protections expanded by the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB189&year=2025&code=R