NEW JERSEY – Governor Phil Murphy Tuesday reaffirmed his Administration’s commitment to supporting the health and well-being of mothers and babies by signing legislation (S2236/A1992) that allows nursing mothers to be excused from jury duty.
Under the new law, individuals may request to be excused from jury service if they are the mother of a child one year of age or younger and are nursing or expressing milk. The court will grant the exemption upon request.
“Balancing the demands of motherhood and civic duty can be challenging, especially for new mothers,” said Governor Murphy. “This bill ensures that our jury system remains fair for all while being compassionate and responsive to the needs of new mothers.”
“By exempting nursing mothers from jury duty, this bill acknowledges the unique personal health and caregiving challenges that new mothers face during the critical first few weeks and months after delivering a baby,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “This bill aligns with the many initiatives Nurture NJ has been involved in to create a more equitable and compassionate environment for all mothers in New Jersey.”
The legislation is part of the broader Nurture NJ initiative, led by First Lady Tammy Murphy. Since its launch in 2019, the initiative has driven significant progress in maternal and infant health across New Jersey. Over the past several years, Nurture NJ has started or completed more than half of the recommendations outlined in its Maternal and Infant Health Strategic Plan, a framework designed to make New Jersey the safest and most equitable place in the nation to deliver and raise a baby. The initiative has also established the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority, which oversees the New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton, and has launched Family Connects NJ, the country’s most robust universal nurse home visitation program, ensuring that every new parent is visited by a nurse at home for free within two weeks of bringing home a baby.
Governor Murphy has now signed 72 laws related to maternal and infant health, solidifying New Jersey’s reputation as a national leader in addressing maternal and infant health disparities.
The bill was unanimously passed by both the Senate and Assembly. Its prime sponsors are Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz and Assemblywoman Shanique Speight, with additional sponsorship from Senator Brian Stack, Assemblyman Reginald Atkins, and Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson.
“Nursing a child in the first year of their life can be hugely demanding, especially as mothers find time to pump or breastfeed on schedule or cue. There has to be flexibility during this period for moms to feed their baby or build their milk supply,” said Senate Majority Leader Ruiz. “Allowing for this exemption will ease the burden on a nursing mother.”
“Breastfeeding offers numerous health benefits to newborns,” said Senator Stack. “This legislation will make the wellbeing of our mothers and their children a priority over a jury duty requirement they can fulfill at a more suitable time.”
“We have a moral obligation to support new moms, and that includes helping women who choose to feed their babies by nursing or pumping, both of which offer lifelong benefits to the child,” said Assemblywoman Speight. “By exempting nursing and pumping mothers from jury duty for the first year of a child’s life, we are working to ease one of the challenges faced by many women as they adjust to motherhood.”
“Civic engagement should never come at the expense of a mother’s health or her ability to feed her child,” said Assemblyman Atkins. “This law brings much needed compassion and common sense to our jury selection process.”
“Too many nursing mothers have faced an impossible choice to serve their community through jury duty, or meet the basic needs of their child,” said Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson. “With this law, we are recognizing that civic duty and motherhood shouldn’t be in conflict.”
The law takes effect immediately.
