New Maryland Law Frees Moms from Jury Duty

Starting in October, a new Maryland law will allow breastfeeding mothers and caregivers of children under 3 years old to be excused from jury duty statewide.

The law aims to replace inconsistent local policies with a unified standard, specifically allowing courts to excuse nursing mothers from serving. The change follows reporting by The Baltimore Banner, which highlighted the difficulties many new mothers faced when summoned for jury service, including the challenges of leaving newborns, introducing bottles prematurely, and scrambling to find child care.

Baltimore made some progress in 2022 by introducing lactation rooms in courthouses. However, the same year, the city court also shortened the deferral period for jury service from one year to six months, making it harder for some parents to delay their service.

The new statewide policy ensures all courts follow the same guidelines, though judges and judicial commissioners can still deny exemption requests when deemed necessary. Additionally, courts will now be required to provide lactation rooms equipped with door locks, sinks, and refrigerators. They must also track and report the number of deferment requests annually.

In a statement released Thursday, the Maryland Judiciary confirmed it will notify courts of the updated requirements.

Delegate Robbyn Lewis, a Democrat from Baltimore who sponsored the bill, thanked her fellow lawmakers and credited local advocate Rachel Wagner for helping elevate stories from affected women.

“The problem was bureaucracy run amok,” Lewis said, pointing to the uneven treatment of nursing parents across different jurisdictions. She called the legislation “one of the most meaningful bills I’ve sponsored in my eight-year career.”

New Maryland Law Will Excuse Breastfeeding Mothers and Caregivers of Young Children from Jury Duty was originally published on r1wolbbaltimore.staging.go.ione.nyc