TRENTON, N.J. — A bill that would exempt nursing mothers with infants under one year old from jury duty advanced unanimously through the New Jersey Assembly Judiciary Committee on Monday.
Assembly Bill No. 1992, which applies to mothers who are nursing or expressing milk, passed with six votes in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions. The legislation aims to address challenges faced by breastfeeding mothers summoned for jury service, a group not currently included in statutory jury duty exemptions.
“Under current law, nursing mothers are not explicitly exempted from jury duty, which can present a hardship,” the committee stated in its report. The bill would allow mothers of infants to defer or opt out of jury duty without needing to cite broader hardship exemptions or rely on discretionary court relief.
Existing New Jersey law already provides exemptions for individuals over 75, those who served on a jury within the previous three years, persons facing long-term hardship, and members of volunteer emergency service organizations. School teachers may also be exempt under certain conditions during the academic year.
Matching bill in Senate advances on same day
The Assembly version of the measure is identical to Senate Bill No. 2236, which the Senate Judiciary Committee also reported out favorably on Monday. The mirrored legislative action signals bipartisan and bicameral support for updating jury service policies to accommodate the health needs of new mothers.
The Assembly Judiciary Committee noted that the bill was pre-filed for the 2024-2025 session and had undergone technical review prior to the vote. The measure now awaits consideration by the full Assembly.
Supporters of the legislation have framed the exemption as a health and family-centered policy aligned with contemporary maternal care practices.
Legislation supports maternal health rights
If enacted, the exemption would represent a policy shift in how jury duty service obligations are balanced against the needs of postpartum mothers and infants. Lawmakers emphasized that the bill provides a specific, time-limited exemption that does not require mothers to prove hardship.
The legislation does not eliminate jury eligibility for nursing mothers but allows them to claim an exemption within the first 12 months of the child’s life, streamlining the process compared to the broader hardship exemption currently in place.
The Judiciary Committee’s unanimous vote signals a unified stance on the bill’s intent and scope as the proposal heads toward full legislative review.
