FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.189
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVECLEMENS.
1362H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Toamendchapter1,RSMo,byaddingtheretoonenewsectionrelatingtoprotectingtheright
oftrialbyjury.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Chapter1,RSMo,isamendedbyaddingtheretoonenewsection,tobe
2knownassection1.550,toreadasfollows:
1.550.1.Thissectionshallbeknownandmaybecitedasthe"Seventh
2AmendmentPreservationAct".
3 2.ThegeneralassemblyfindsanddeclaresthattheSeventhAmendmentofthe
4ConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesisthecoretothefoundationofthisnationandthatthe
5abilitytoseekredressforwrongdoingisnecessaryinacivilsociety.
6 3.TopreservetheconstitutionalrightsofMissouricitizensandresidentssothat
7theymayreceivetheirdayincourt,thefollowingprotectionsshallapply:
8 (1)TheprovisionsoftheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesandtheConstitution
9ofMissourioccupyandpreemptlegislationinvolvingcivillitigationandlaws,rules,
10orders,orotheractionsthatrestrictaresident'sdayincourtasitexistedin1822and
11expandedbytheThirteenthAmendment,FourteenthAmendment,andFifteenth
12AmendmentoftheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesonacivilmatterexceedingthe
13powersgrantedtostategovernment,excepttotheextentthatthelaws,rules,orders,or
14otheractionsarenecessaryandproperforgoverningcourtsandprocedurestherein;
15 (2)Allfederalandstateacts,laws,executiveorders,administrativeorders,rules,
16andregulations,whetherpast,present,orfuture,thatinfringeonacitizen'sor
17resident'srighttohisorherdayincourtasguaranteedbytheSeventhAmendmentto
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18theConstitutionoftheUnitedStates,andexpandedbytheThirteenthAmendment,
19FourteenthAmendment,andFifteenthAmendmentoftheConstitutionoftheUnited
20StatesandbyArticleI,Section22(a)oftheConstitutionofMissouri,shallbeinvalidin
21thisstate;
22 (3)ItshallbethedutyofgovernmenttoprotecttherightsofMissouricitizens
23andresidentssothatcitizensandresidentsmayreceiveatrialbyjuryinallcivilmatters
24inaccordancewiththeSeventhAmendmentoftheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesand
25ArticleI,Section22(a)oftheConstitutionofMissouri;
26 (4)Anyentityorpersonwhoknowinglyactsunderthecolorofanyfederalor
27statelawtodepriveaMissouricitizenorresidentoftherightsorprivilegesensuredby
28thefederalandstateconstitutionstoaciviltrialshallbeliabletotheinjuredpartyfor
29thedeprivationoftheirrights.Reasonableattorney'sfeesandcostsmaybeawardedto
30theprevailingpartywithspecifiedexceptions;
31 (5)Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionoflaw,thereshallbenolegislative
32restrictionstosettlementamounts,juryawardsfordamagesofanykind,accessto
33courts,joinder,jurisdiction,orvenue.AnysuchprovisionunderMissourilawthat
34currentlyexistsshallbenullandvoid.
âś”
HB189 2