Alabama House approves bill exempting nursing mothers from jury duty
The Alabama House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Tuesday to exempt nursing mothers from jury duty.
HB 209, sponsored by Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, requires nursing mothers to provide documentation of childbirth and a written statement in order to be exempt from jury duty for two years.
'We named the bill 'Parker's Law' after the precious 3-month-old baby that had to accompany her mother all the way down to the Jefferson County courthouse,' DuBose said on the House floor Tuesday.
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In January, Kandace Brown brought her 3-month-old to jury duty in Jefferson County. According to a posting on Brown's Facebook page, the judge would not dismiss Brown and told her to make arrangements for her strictly breastfed daughter. The Alabama Supreme Court issued an administrative order on Jan. 17 stating that nursing mothers qualify for exemption.
'But here in Alabama, just four days after this incident happened, the change was made because of each one of you sharing this and helping bring this to light,' Brown wrote on her social media.
The bill goes to the Senate. SB 79, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, the legislation's companion bill, passed that chamber on Feb. 18.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 22 states as of 2021 exempted nursing mothers from jury duty or allowed their jury service to be postponed.
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